October 27, 2003

An argument rages in sports, whether teenage kids are prepared to play professional sports. In tennis, most of the women playing have reached their prime by the age of 19 or 20 years old. In soccer there is this 14 year old kid name Freddy Adu who has signed a million dollar contract with Nike. In football Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett is stirring up a lot drama, that's another discussion within itself. In basketball, it is a common occurance that the best high school kids make the jump to the NBA.

Lebron James is this year's installment in that category. Following his predecessors, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Darius Miles, Kwame Brown, & Amare Stoudemire, prognosticators seem to think James is poised to make an instant impact.

The rule seems to be, it takes about 3 or 4 years for these kids to come in and really makes some noise. Out of no where Stoudemire came in and made an impact the very 1st year. He was physically ready to play. It took Garnett, Bryant, and McGrady at least 3 years to come in to their own. That's the exception to the rule, because Miles and Brown seem to be far off that pace. I think it takes a while for their bodies to fully develop and get used to the physical bump-n-grind of the NBA.

If Lebron can stay away for the NBA pittfalls, he should be fine.

Lebron comes in, as probably the most hyped athlete since Tiger Woods. Before Lebron played 1 minute on the NBA hardwood, he already had a 90 million dollar contract with Nike, and other multi million dollar endorsements with Sprite and Upper Deck. The NBA has clearly marketed this whole season on Lebron, airing a lot of Cavalier games on television, right out the gate. James has a lot a pressure on him because so many have a lot invested in him.

All the pressures off the court out weigh anything that he will face on the court. If Lebron can stay grounded and don't get too caught up in the off court NBA lifestyle, he will be fine. He already has a good mentor in place, with Cav's head coach Paul Silas. I don't think Silas will let him fall to the wayside. All Lebron has to do, is come in do what comes naturally.