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Before LeBron James became a basketball icon, his legacy was first built on St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio. As the face of the team, James helped them become the top team in the country, winning three state championships. Of all the players on their roster, the team's success revolved around five players, or what they like to be called the “Fab 5.”
While the group has stayed in touch over the years, it does make you wonder what career paths the rest of them took right after high school.
Dru Joyce III
As the son of the team's coach, Joyce was the point guard who orchestrated much of their offense. Once he graduated, Joyce went played for the University of Akron before embarking on a 12-year professional career overseas. His career included stops playing in countries like Germany, Poland, and France.
In 2019, Joyce retired from professional basketball and turned to coaching. After a few years working as an assistant at Duquesne, Joyce was named the team's head coach in 2024.
Willie McGee
After his playing days at Fairmont State University, McGee chose to take a leadership role at St. Vincent-St. Mary. He served as the Director of Athletics from 2015 to 2022. From there, he moved on to James' I Promise School, a public school dedicated to helping Akron's most ‘challenged' students.
Romeo Travis
Travis was arguably the most talented player on the Fab 5 outside of James. He'd team up with Joyce at the University of Akron after high school and followed a similar career path, just in different countries. Over his 14-year career, Travis played in Croatia, the Philippines, and Russia. He was even naturalized by the Macedonian Basketball Federation in 2016 to try and lead the team to wins in the 2017 EuroBasket qualification.
Travis retired in 2021 and, like many of his high school teammates, decided to return home to Akron. He now works as an assistant coach at St. Vincent-St. Mary.
Sian Cotton
Instead of pursuing a career in hoops after high school, Cotton launched a rap career. His music career was able to find some success, including having one of his songs featured on NBA 2K14.
James' success may have overshadowed everyone else, but the Fab 5’s legacy is about more than just making the NBA. As James voiced out his desire to give back to the game once he retires, the majority of them shared the same sentiment. Whether it's coaching college and high school basketball players or helping underprivileged children, each of them has used their platform to make a positive impact in their communities.
