It feels good to be the King. Or does it?

Cleveland Cavaliers star forward LeBron James is palming the world like a basketball at just 21 years old. "King James" is the NBA's most heralded young star; he makes more than $100 million in endorsements and is recognized across the globe. But with superstardom and fat pockets also comes the curse of a non-existent private life.

"There is no reason why myself shouldn't have a personal life and privacy just like you all have privacy,'' James said. ''I'm going to do what I have to do every day. It's not that I'm keeping my personal life inside a box or nothing like that. There is just no need to talk about that."

Surprisingly, James seems to have figured out a formula to just give the public only what he and his extremely close-knit inner circle want the public to see.

Sure, you've seen James show a comical side and dance in Nike commercials, and you've known him since he was proclaimed the next Michael Jordan while still at Akron's St. Vincent-St. Anthony's High School. The headband, the No. 23 jersey and the goatee are distinct and instantly recognizable. But what do you really know about King James as a person? How about his thoughts on the world today? What does he like to do once he unlaces his popular sneakers? You really don't know much, and that, it seems, is by design. Unless you're in the realm of Oprah Winfrey or ESPN the Magazine, the average sports reporter has about as much a chance of getting an interview with him as they would getting the President of the United States. James is not fond of the one-on-one interview, and usually does brisk press briefings in groups controlled by clock-watching Cavaliers media relations managers.

"LeBron has a great personality," said Cavaliers guard Damon Jones, "He can go out and have fun. He just doesn't show it to (the media), which is OK."

For the media, such limited access to one of sports' most coveted young stars is frustrating, obviously. There aren't many players that create more of a stir than the high-flying, young phenom: James has more than lived up to the immense hype since being drafted as the top pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. He averaged 20.9 points as a rookie while also earning Rookie of the Year honors. The 6-foot-8, 240-pounder averaged 27.2 points in his second season and became an NBA all-star, and he is expected to be voted in as a starting Eastern Conference forward in the 2006 NBA All-Star game in Houston next month. But the bright spotlight doesn't leave him once he leaves the arena. if he goes to the mall, within 10-15 minutes word usually gets around that ''King James'' is there. Soon after, James is usually surrounded. In an instant, security is needed to take control. On the road, word is most of his free time is usually spent in his hotel room.

When he goes to a restaurant, he usually sits in a secluded corner, but it usually doesn't take long for a smiling, autograph-seeking, handshake-offering fan to arrive.

"They don't leave me alone anywhere,'' James said. ''But that doesn't stop me from going out. I like people so I don't have a problem with going out and having people come up to me and ask me for my autograph."

Chris Dennis, executive director of The James Family Foundation, and long-time family friend, said: "He tries to lead as normal of a life as possible. I think he makes it work as best as he can... His mom didn't teach him to hide from anything, stay away from anything or put himself on a level where he is untouchable."

To try to make his crazy daily routine simpler and less suffocating for James, the Cavaliers made an outstanding move by hiring ex-Cleveland police commander Marvin Cross on Sept. 23, 2003 to handle team security. When James is out on the town on the road, it's not uncommon to see the father-like Cross and other security guards nearby. The Cavaliers also hired one of James' long-time friends and business associates, Randy Mims, as a player liaison this season. Mims serves as a voice of reason for James and deflects some of the wild attention by displaying an immense ego that makes him seem like he's a star, too.

First-year Cavaliers coach Mike Brown has coached the likes of NBA all-stars Chris Webber, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest. Even so, Brown has never seen a player get the amount of attention that James receives. Considering how young he is, Brown also often feels sorry for James, too.

''I talk to my wife about it and say, ‘I can't believe what this guy is going through," Brown said. ''He's (21). He's worth a hundred million dollars and he handles all this extra."

Those who do get inside the protective bubble and get to know the real LeBron James, do nothing but smile when his name is brought up.

"What is LeBron? I thought about it and the first thing that came to mind is he's a good guy," Brown said. "There is nothing fancy. Nothing tricky. He's just a flat out good guy. Whether he had the money or fame, I truly believe he'd still be that same good guy."