James becoming king of the court

By Michael Robinson, Associate Sports Editor

He may be over-aired, over-hyped, over-analyzed and overpaid, but LeBron James is the real thing.

In a remarkable debut season, James averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists. The teen phenom has placed himself in elite company, joining Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to average over 20 points, five rebounds and five assists as a rookie.

In a season that featured an absolutely loaded rookie class, King James was crowned Rookie of the Year over Denver’s Carmelo Anthony and Miami’s Dwayne Wade, both of whom would have won the award in an ordinary year.

At the tender age of 19, LeBron has already made his mark on the record books. He is the all-time youngest recipient of the Rookie of the Year Award and the youngest player to score 40 points in a single game.

The former St. Vincent St. Mary standout also holds the highest first-year scoring average for a player entering the NBA directly out of high school. While this distinction may not have been impressive in the past, it has become a legitimate achievement with the influx of high schoolers entering the draft in recent years.

With the likes of Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, Jermaine O’Neal and Kobe Bryant entering the professional ranks straight out of high school, LeBron heads a very impressive list. “King James” is off to a faster start than any of these players, and he has done it in the face of tremendous pressure.

After signing a $90-million deal with Nike before he was even drafted, LeBron didn’t exactly fly under the radar in his rookie year. Before he stepped on the floor for the first time as a professional, James had already attracted a media circus.

Over the course of the season, the press scrutinized his every move. LeBron knew that every time he made a mistake he would see it on TV, read about it in the paper and hear about it on the radio.

Who can forget the daily LeBron updates that dominated “Sportscenter,” “NBA 2Night,” and just about every other basketball-related show on the air? When LeBron went 2-12, the nation got to watch highlights of all ten misses before the anchor, as an afterthought, added that Ilgauskas had 20 points and 10 rebounds on the night.

The notoriously mediocre Cavs were featured in almost every NBA telecast, and nobody tuned in to watch Carlos Boozer. All season long, all eyes were on LeBron.

As difficult as it is to play at the NBA level, it is even more difficult with thousands of people around the country waiting for you to fail. However, no amount of skeptical eyes could shake LeBron’s focus.

In addition to the pressure generated by constant media attention and the pressure that comes from being a No. 1 pick, LeBron faced the added pressure of taking on a leadership role on a team with few alternative-scoring options.

Though Boozer and Ilgauskas each averaged over 15 points per game, neither player qualifies as a dominant scoring threat. Additionally, both Boozer and Ilgauskas are interior players, leaving the burden of perimeter scoring squarely on James’ shoulders. As a result, opposing defenses focused heavily on LeBron all season long.

Once again, James answered the call. Undaunted by the challenges that lay before him, “King James” put the Cavs on his back from day one and led the team to within a game of reaching the postseason.

To recap, LeBron was the No. 1 pick, the primary option in the Cavaliers’ offense, and the focal point of a year-long media circus. Add the “we better get our money’s worth” factor that accompanied the more than $120 million he made in endorsements, and you have some idea of what LeBron had to live up to this season. That’s a lot to ask from a 19-year-old kid.

Yet somehow, LeBron may have actually exceeded expectations in his rookie campaign. Going into the season, there were those who expected nothing short of 20 points a night, but there were also analysts who didn’t quite buy in. Everyone knew he had talent, but not everyone thought he would be this good this fast.

In his spectacular debut season, LeBron displayed limitless potential. Perhaps even more impressive for a player straight out of high school, James demonstrated poise and maturity well beyond his years. Everyone knew he could dunk, but LeBron also proved he can run the offense, rebound and defend.

After just one year in the league, LeBron has established himself as an all-around player and a team leader. Anyone who wasn’t convinced going into this season now knows that “King James” is every bit as good as he was made out to be. The scary thing is this is just the beginning.