Not many teenagers make the cover of Sports Illustrated, yet LeBron James was one of them, and for a good reason. He was a hoops superstar – even at a very young age – and the sports world took notice. So did Shaq.
Before going to the Cleveland Cavaliers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, James was certainly one of the most hyped high school players of all time. Not far from Cleveland, James was a standout at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio.
In February 2002 – almost exactly 20 years ago – Sports Illustrated put James on the cover, including the headline“The Chosen One” alongside him. By that time, LeBron and his teammates had won three Ohio state championships and a national championship. Games with LeBron were so popular that gyms both home and away were filled to capacity, and then some.
Amid all the hype, NBA star Shaquille O’Neal, who was at the top of his game at the time, decided to go to one of LeBron’s games. The NBA is currently celebrating its 75th season. In a documentary to mark the occasion, Shaq talks about how he ended up watching a home game at St. Vincent-St. Mary High.
O’Neal said he was in Cleveland visiting a friend, and when the two got together, the friend said Shaq needed to go see some kid play. Shaq said he didn’t want to because he was hungry, but his friend insisted.
O’Neal admitted he had no idea what kid he was talking about, but he quickly learned. “I’m like, ‘Damn, he’s on the Sports Illustrated already?’” O’Neal recalled. “So, we pulled into the gym in Cleveland, and it’s packed. And I see this kid, and I say, ‘I haven’t seen nobody dominate in high school like that since me.’ And I said to myself, ‘he can go pro right now.’”
Which is pretty much what happened. James entered the NBA straight out of high school in 2003 and surpassed numerous college stars by going No. 1 in that year’s draft, joining what was basically his hometown team, the Cavaliers.
These days, players can no longer go straight to the NBA from high school, but several stars did it before LeBron James, including Shaq teammate Kobe Bryant. (Kevin Garnett, too…another superstar.) Even though both Kobe and Garnett were certainly special players, James was probably the most successful in making the quick upgrade to the pro-level game.
In the seasons that have come and gone, LeBron has changed the game and has had a massive impact on and off the court. Not only has he won four NBA MVPs and four championships, but he has advocated for voting rights, built a school, and stood against social injustice.
Shaquille O’Neal got an early look at James before later seeing him develop into one of the greatest players ever right in front of his eyes. They were even teammates on the Cavs in the 2009-10 season. Shaq certainly nailed it when he said he hadn’t seen someone else (other than himself) dominate in high school like that.
Will there ever be another LeBron? Maybe..maybe not. Unless there’s a future rules change, there will never be another player to come to the NBA straight out of high school. Still..anything is possible!