James back in Sacramento 20 years after NBA debut
When LeBron James stepped on the court for the Lakers' game Sunday against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center, it marked the 20th anniversary of his NBA debut — in the same city, no less.
James, then an 18-yearold out of Akron, Ohio, entered the NBA as arguably the most-hyped NBA prospect of all time. He appeared on “The Chosen One” Sports Illustrated cover story as a 17-year-old junior in high school.
Lakers coach Darvin Ham, then a forward for the Detroit Pistons, remembers the hype surrounding James' first NBA game for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Kings at the now-demolished ARCO Arena — six miles away from Golden 1 Center.
“It was unbelievable,” Ham said. “It was a nationally televised game. He came out and played well. Really well. So it's amazing how time flies. It's amazing, man, the journey from that point. All of the hoopla, the hype, the expectations that were placed on him at such a young age.
“For him to not only surpass them, but just create a whole new world. The `LeBron James World' where he took everything and tenfold and super exceeded everyone's expectations. It's good to see him still here competing at a high level.”
James, in his 21st NBA season, entered Sunday with averages of 21 points,
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8 rebounds, 7 assists, 1.5 steals and a block.
He remains a focal point of the Lakers' success and roster building – something unprecedented for a player at this stage of his career.
“It's very rare you see someone that came into this league with so much expected of them, and not only to match it but totally break the mold and take it to an even higher ceiling, if there is a ceiling at all with what he's been able to accomplish,” Ham said. “Someone who filled all his obligations in terms of production, hype, winning. Just did it all – and continues to do it. So just thankful I get a chance to be a part of his journey and looking forward to having a lot of success with him.”
James had 25 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds and 4 steals in that loss to the Kings on Oct. 29, 2003, the first sign that he'd more than live up to all the hype he received as a high schooler.
Exactly 20 years and 38,669 regular-season points later, James returned to Sacramento as the NBA's all-time leading scorer and one of the league's most accomplished players.
Kings coach Mike Brown, who coached James on the Cavaliers from 200510, said James' off-thecourt accomplishments deserve just as much attention as what he's done on the court.
“In terms of being around him, he gets a ton of credit for what he's doing on the floor. But I think his time off the floor should be recognized just as much as what he's doing on the floor,” Brown said. “Phenomenal career so far. The longevity. And then everything else that goes along with it.
“But his off-the-floor accomplishments and the lives that he touched, and the people's lives that he touched just doesn't get spoken of enough. I would emphasize that a lot when talking about him because in my opinion, yes, it's great what's on the court makes him special but his greatness off the court can put him in another category by himself.”