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Oct. 30, 2003 |
LeBron James impresses world
By InsideHoops.com
LeBron James played his first-ever NBA regular season
game and definitely exceeded all expectations, even from his harshest critics.
Although the visiting Cavaliers lost to the Sacramento Kings, the story was not
the results of the game, but the 25 points, nine assists, six rebounds and four
steals on 12-of-20 shooting that James put up. And he had just two turnovers.
Below are some quotes from around the media world.
"LeBron James proved without a doubt that he has
the physical skills as well as actual basketball ability to eventually become
an elite superstar in this league. Even if LeBron's shots don't fall, as sometimes
they may not, he's a scorer who can get to the rim and make things happen. LeBron's
passing ability is fantastic and he already understands how to get the ball to
teammates at the right time. He's a raw superstar in the making. The hype was
deserved." Jeff Lenchiner, editor of InsideHoops.com
"Former Boston Celtics guard Dennis Johnson, now
a scout with the Portland Trail Blazers, was impressed. "His first quarter
was excellent," Johnson said. "After a bit, he got a little nervous
and excitedly tired. They called a timeout. He settled down and went back out
and got his energy flowing. If his first quarter is any indication of how he's
going to go, he's going to be good. There's no question about that." Cleveland
Plain Dealer
"LeBron James could not stop smiling, and his grin
got wider as his first game as a professional basketball player got closer. The
Cavaliers' rookie, the No. 1 draft choice from Akron's St. Vincent St. Mary High
School, was about to fulfill the dream he has had since he got his first basketball
for Christmas at the age of 3. By evening's end, it was a dream realized in spectacular
fashion, unless you asked James himself." Cleveland
Plain Dealer
"The Kings were thrilled James started his career
in their building. "This is the biggest regular season game we've ever had
here," said Joe Maloof, whose family owns the Kings. "There was a buzz
around the city. It doesn't get better than this. This is great for the league.
We all need him. He's a breath of fresh air." When he was introduced, James
was greeted with cheers and boos from the rowdy sellout crowd of 17,317 - which
included James' mother, Gloria, and a few family friends from Akron, along with
Chicago Cubs manager Dusty Baker and former baseball stars Reggie Jackson and
Joe Morgan." Cleveland
Plain Dealer
"According to Kings officials, 350 press credentials
were issued for the game, twice the amount for a regular-season game. Troy Hanson,
director of media relations for the Kings, likened the number of reporters to
what the team would expect for the second round of the playoffs. But, he said,
the number of international reporters present was unprecedented for the Kings,
who welcomed representatives from Canada, Taiwan and Japan." Cleveland
Plain Dealer
"One thing I can tell you for sure about LeBron James
after watching the first quarter of his first post-high school game: Get an NBA
All-Star jersey ready for the kid. He nailed his first three shots, all baseline
jumpers, including a 20- foot fallaway over the reach of 7-footer Brad Miller.
Maybe Bob Donewald's defense is underrated. First quarter for LeBron: 12 points
(6-for-10), two rebounds, three assists, three steals, one breakaway dunk. Hey,
Nike: $90 million to rent James' feet? You guys low-balled the kid." San
Francisco Chronicle
"It was fun to listen to the Arco Arena PA man, whose
shtick is that when a King scores, he screams out the player's name as if he had
just descended from heaven. After three or four James buckets, the PA man was
saying "LeBron James" as if answering the question, "Who did you
say was taking your girlfriend to the prom?" Here's the deal: The youngster
likes to play, he is fearless and confident, and he has made a connection with
his teammates. He is already something a guy like Kobe Bryant will never be: one
of the boys." San
Francisco Chronicle
""I could have helped my team a little bit more
down the stretch, I could have been a little bit more aggressive to help us get
the win," said James, who finished with 25 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds
and 2 turnovers in 43 minutes. The performance bested the 16-point debut of Michael
Jordan, nearly equaled the 26-point debut of Magic Johnson and by far exceeded
the expectations of those who saw his early preseason games. Playing in front
of a sell-out crowd that booed him as soon as he was introduced, in an arena plunked
in the middle of a cow pasture that makes the opening minutes of the "Wizard
of Oz" look glamorous, James simply declined to be intimidated by the Kings,
their fans or the enormous expectations that have been heaped upon him ever since
his senior year of high school." Washington
Post
"Too much hype for LeBron James? Maybe too little.
No one remembered that Cleveland lost to Sacramento 106-92 on Wednesday night.
What everyone remembered was James' scintillating performance in his first NBA
regular season game. The 18-year-old rookie did nothing to dampen the super-charged
hype surrounding him. His all-around game against the Kings should put a huge
smile on the face of NBA commissioner David Stern. It's the kind of coming-out
party that can eclipse the negative publicity the league has endured." Portland
Oregonian
"James stepped on the court wearing the Cavaliers'
new wine and gold with white trim road uniform and sported his new custom-designed,
black-and-white "Air Zoom Generation" Nike basketball shoes. He wore
a matching headband and a white rubber band with the inscription "King James"
on his right wrist." Portland
Oregonian
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