On this day in history, October 29, 2003, LeBron James made his NBA debut
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: On October 29, 2003, 20 years ago, the basketball wunderkind LeBron James made his NBA debut.
James, 18-years-old at the time, played in his first regular season game for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Sacramento's Arco Arena witnessed the rise of 'King James' in the 2003 season-opening game.
James played for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Sacramento Kings, scoring 25 points, six rebounds, nine assists, four steals, two turnovers, and three personal fouls.
Though the Cavs lost the game for 106-92, a basketball legend was born.
LeBron James, the next superstar after Michael Jordan?
After Michael Jordan retired from the NBA at the end of the 2002-03 season, the world was looking forward to the rise of another superstar. Fresh from high school, the 6-foot 7-inch Ohion was all set to ignite the court.
At 17, James, still a high schooler, appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in the February 18, 2002 issue. The magazine anointed him as the 'The Chosen One'. "High school junior LeBron James would be an NBA lottery pick right now," read the magazine cover.
He became the first pick in the 2003 NBA draft.
"I was able to make a lot of moves I made in high school," James told Chicago Tribune after the game.
"I just had to bring a lot more power. They're a lot stronger in the NBA. Most of the moves I used in high school I used out here."
Sacramento owner Joe Maloof called the NBA legend "a breath of fresh air" after the game.
Cleaveland Cavaliers won 18 more games than the previous season with James in the team.
He won the Most Valuable Player award twice between 2003 and 2010 with the Cavaliers and led the team to their only NBA title in 2016.
In a 2021 interview, James recounted his NBA debut experience. "You know, being in Arco (Arena) and putting that Cavs uniform on, that wine and gold for the first time and stepping on an NBA floor. It was just very unique. And I wish that moment on no other athlete ever because it was very nerve-wracking, I'll tell you that."
LeBron James continues to surprise fans
The 38-year-old James has often been compared to Jordan, widely considered the greatest basketball player ever.
An all-time leading scorer in the history of the NBA with four NBA championships, the 'King' continues to surprise NBA fans.
He has played for three teams, starting with the Cavaliers from 2003-04 to 2009-10 and for Miami Heat from 2010-11 to 2013-14. He returned to the Cavaliers in 2014-15 and continued till the 2017-18 season. In 2018-19, he started playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. James is still in contract with the Lakers for the 2023-24 season.
'The Chosen One' was the key player in the Lakers game on October 27 against the Phoenix Suns, leading the team to a 100-95 victory.
View this post on Instagram
