High School Star In $50,000 SUV Flap

The nation's No. 1 high school basketball player is embroiled in controversy. LeBron James, who is expected to be the first player chosen in the NBA draft, has been driving a new Hummer, an SUV that costs close to $50,000.

The Hummer is reportedly a gift from his mother, Gloria, who has told school officials that she obtained a bank loan to finance the purchase.

Ohio state athletic officials are looking into the matter. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that James' high school, St. Vincent-St. Mary, has been asked to provide proof that the vehicle was not obtained in a way that would jeopardize the youth's amateur standing.

"We have some concerns," said Clair Muscaro, commissioner of the Ohio High School Athletic Association. "The thing I'm concerned about is that it was gift from the outside. ... When our schools see something like that, it throws up a red flag. It's different than a parent buying their son or daughter a small vehicle."

The Hummer was shipped from California and is said to be luxuriously equipped. The Plain Dealer reported that an acquaintance of James said it contained three televisions and a hookup for computer games.

Muscaro said he has received phone calls, letters and e-mails since the beginning of the season from parents and coaches questioning St. Vincent-St. Mary's travel to out-of-state games and ticket prices for James' games.

"It has been one thing after another," Muscaro said.

Because of James' popularity, he and his teammates have played in 10,000-plus seat arenas around the country and many of the school's games are available on television for a fee in northeast Ohio.

"I've heard from parents who have had to pay $12 to $15 to see their son play just because they were playing against St. Vincent-St. Mary," Muscaro said. "They're used to paying only $3 or $4, and now it's like they're going to see a big-time college."

James and his mother have declined to comment on the purchase of the SUV.

While his teammates warmed up two hours before Tuesday night's game, James toyed with the controversy spiraling around him. Sitting on the floor at midcourt, James smiled as he steered a remote control Hummer around the floor of Akron's James A. Rhodes Arena.

"OK," he said. "Here's my real Hummer."

James certainly had his game in overdrive, scoring a school record 50 points to lead the nation's No. 1-ranked team to a 92-56 rout of Mentor.

Beside breaking his own school record for points, James made a school record 11 3-pointers before sitting out the final 6:27 just a few seconds after draining his final 3.