As a rookie, LeBron James was left off the 2003-04 All-Star squad after not being selected as a starter by the fans. The coaches chose Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin, Jamaal Magloire, Ron Artest, Baron Davis, Michael Redd, and Paul Pierce as reserves that year. However, since it was his first season, he was allowed to participate in the Rookie Challenge.
This would be the only All-Star game appearance of his career until this year. He had been chosen as a reserve by the coaches for each of the previous three seasons, but never made the actual team.
A few days before the All-Star Game, it was announced that James would be given the start in place of the injured Kobe Bryant. This is because most people believe that if you are an All-Star player then you should be starting games. However, this is not true; the coaches decide who starts each game and they could have any reason they want. Maybe the other players feel like resting them or maybe they want to give someone else a chance to show what they can do.
In any case, this started a great debate among many fans and media members about whether or not James was actually doing enough to be considered an all-star player.
Michael Jordan had recently retired when LeBron James entered the NBA as a rookie in 2003. While this was frustrating for MJ fans, it corresponded with a high-end change in the card game. Using a pair of 2002-03 first-place Chicago Bulls as examples, we can see that sports cards have not only retained their value but actually increased in price over time.
The first thing you should know about LeBron is that he is one of the best basketball players of all time. He already has six NBA championships under his belt and has been voted league MVP three times. Not only is he an incredible player, but he also becomes a key part of two different controversies during his first season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The first controversy comes when it is revealed that James had signed with Miami after being traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers. This caused a rift between him and Mike Brown, who was still employed by Cleveland at the time. However, this situation was quickly resolved when James announced he would be returning to Cleveland once again.
The second controversy involves allegations of racism made against James. It is claimed that he ignored a trade request from Miami after being denied the chance to play with Shaquille O'Neal. However, there is no evidence to support these claims.
Only Jack Molinas and Patrick Ewing were chosen as rookies who were unable to participate in the NBA All-Star Game. Players who played in other leagues (such as the ABA or the NBL) who made the All-Star Game in their first NBA season are not eligible. The last rookie to play in the All-Star Game was Damian Lillard in 2012.
In 1992, Charles Barkley became the first rookie to win the All-Star Game MVP award. The next year, Michael Jordan won his third consecutive title at the age of 21 years old. No other player has ever won more than two consecutively. In 1995, Scottie Pippen became the first rookie to win the Finals MVP award. Since then, only Derrick Rose (2010), LeBron James (2011), and Stephen Curry (2014) have been voted MVP by the fans during their first season.
There have been several players who have been selected as All-Stars while still being drafted by teams. Most famously, Moses Malone was drafted first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1978 but ended up playing for the Houston Rockets after signing with them before the start of the season. He went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award that year. Another player who was selected in 1978 by the Portland Trail Blazers but instead signed with the New York Knicks was Ralph Sampson. He too was named Rookie of the Year.
As it turns out, the answer is simple: rest. James was one of a few players, including Stephen Curry, James Harden, and Chris Paul, who chose to sit out the games after having a difficult season. James, in particular, was out for a month due to an ankle ailment.
The decision not to play him didn't come as a big surprise since everyone knew how much time he spent training and recovering from injuries. In fact, many people expected him to skip at least some games so that he could keep up his record-breaking pace. But still, it's hard to imagine anyone else being left off the roster.
Here are the members of the 2016 USA Basketball Olympic Team:
Starters: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Kyrie Irving, DeMarcus Cousins, Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter
Reserves: Damian Lillard, John Wall, Kyle Lowry, Paul Millsap, Jeff Teague, Joe Biden
Coach: Mike Krzyzewski
Manager: Rex Kalamianos
Programmer: Jonathan Givony
Media Coordinator: Derek Bouchard
Team Administrator: Laura Ayers
Legal Counsel: David Hoffman
Copyright © 2020 - 2023 Sportsmanist Inc.
