Stop in Akron turns into dream day for LeBron fan

Aug 21, 2009 - 11:10 PM By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer

AKRON, Ohio (AP) -- All 13-year-old Justin Cozzolino wanted was a photo of his hero LeBron James' high school. He got a whole lot more.

While on a "boys sports road trip," the Connecticut teenager and his father, Rick, stopped at St. Vincent-St. Mary - James' alma mater - to take a few keepsake photographs. Outside the building, they had a chance meeting with the school's volleyball coach, who brought them inside for a tour of the locker room and the gymnasium James made famous.

That was just the beginning.

On Friday, Justin got to meet his idol.

"I've got to get some ice to cool him down," his dad said as his son beamed with delight after posing for pictures with James and New Orleans All-Star guard Chris Paul. "I know he's not going to sleep on the 10-hour drive home. This was a dream come true."

It all began Wednesday, when returning from a visit to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in nearby Canton, the Cozzolinos swung by the school. The next thing they knew, they were sitting in James' former locker stall and playing hoops on the NBA superstar's former home floor.

They were told James would stop by on Friday as part of a publicity junket for his new documentary, "More Than A Game," a touching film about the friendship between James and four childhood buddies who fulfilled their goal of winning a national championship.

So on their way home, the Cozzolinos dropped by on their way back from seeing the Indianapolis Colts host the Philadelphia Eagles in a preseason game Thursday night.

They hoped to just see James. Not only did they get to meet him, they also spent a few minutes with Paul, James' Olympic teammate and close friend who came to Akron to see the film and ride in the league MVP's charity bike-a-thon on Saturday.

"This is amazing," Justin Cozzolino said. "I'll never, ever forget this."

James, former high school teammates Willie McGee and Dru Joyce III and his coach, Dru Joyce II, spent much of Friday doing interviews to promote the documentary. The film chronicles James and his teammates growing from little boys to young men and recounts their rollercoaster ride - along with a father figure/coach - to a title.

Last year, the film was shown at the Toronto Film Festival, where it finished runner-up for the audience choice award to "Slumdog Millionaire," which went on to win eight Academy Awards.

On Thursday night, James hosted an advance screening of the film at the Akron Civic Theatre, where family members and friends could be heard pointing themselves out on the big screen when they appeared.

"It was humbling," James said. "To be able to give back to my hometown with something like this makes it incredibly special."

Following his bike-a-thon, James and his friends will travel to China before hitting Paris, London, New York and Los Angeles to promote the film, which will open in Cleveland on Oct. 2 before expanding across the U.S. in mid-October.