LeBron James' numbers are compared to those of Michael Jordan, Dr. J, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant for their first 125 games in the NBA. (.pdf file) You'd have to say James fares well by comparison. Jordan averaged more points, and Magic's numbers were comparable, but don't forget those guys played three and two years respectively of college basketball. This kid's 20! Kobe's stats don't even belong in the conversation. I'd be interersted to see Larry Bird's early career numbers.
Also check out Terry Pluto's column about Lebron in the early days of junior high and high school.
UPDATE: How did I miss this? Marc Stein of ESPN.com has a glowing report on LeBron at 20, complete with quotes from MJ and Magic. For example:
Says Magic: "I see a little bit of Michael in him, and I see a little bit of me in him. Now he needs to win championships like Michael and I did, and I'm sure one day that will happen."Posted by dan at February 18, 2005 10:35 PMIn Cleveland?
The city that shudders if someone merely whispers the initials M and J together?
"I think the most important thing was Mike's tenacity," Silas says. "He wanted to win — he wanted to destroy his opponent — and LeBron is developing that. And once that comes, there's no stopping him."
Says Jordan: "The comparisons, I don't think they're coming from LeBron. I think he welcomes that, as I did when I was compared with Doctor J, but I think he's just trying to be LeBron."
Sounds like it.
"I'm in control of my destiny," James says. "When I'll be done playing, I don't want people to say, 'Well, he ended up the same way as this person or that player.' I want people to say, 'LeBron James did it his way, and now he's a legend.'"
"In time," Orlando's Hill believes, "...I think people will be saying 'The Next LeBron.'"
Maybe not by Monday, but check back in June.