Things are so good that James, even during a disappointing season in Los Angeles, is well aware of what’s happening in an Akron hoops scene he elevated. “When you grow up in Akron, Ohio, you already feel like no one cares about you too much,” James said. “And the only people that really care about you are the ones from that town. When you are in certain community centers, in certain gyms, you look for inspiration — people who came before you, people who were already there.”