LeBron James was unlike any other draft prospect coming into the NBA. He was such a delightful walking irony that most scouts and executives thought he was league-ready, but also recognized the limitless potential he possessed. James stood out as the rare case where even the most skeptical decision-makers found little to question.
“I’m very careful about dishing out too much praise for these young kids coming out of school, because I know it’s going to be an adjustment no matter how good they are,” an anonymous Eastern Conference general manager said, per former ESPN senior writer Marc Stein. “But this kid looks like he could come in and play right away without missing a beat. LeBron is a phenomenal talent, probably the best I’ve ever seen coming out of high school.”
“It’s going to be interesting,” the executive added, “to eventually see him play with and against other great players (in the NBA), because obviously he’s not getting challenged right now.”
How does a 17-year-old LeBron stack up against the best?
James was often compared to the likes of Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady, primarily because they were athletic wing players who came out of high school. The King aimed to follow the path of these two superstars, who brought the excitement night in and night out. At that point, T-Mac had just won the scoring title, while Mamba helped the Los Angeles Lakers string up three titles in a row.
Nonetheless, many scouts think he was just as good as these two at the same age. The biggest difference, though, is that a 17-year-old Bron already has an NBA-ready body, giving him an advantage right out of the gate.
“I’m not saying he won’t be better than Kobe and McGrady, but I can’t say he’s better than those players were at the same age. Those guys just knocked me out. It’s something you can’t define, it’s just a gut feel you have, but I’m probably being a tougher grader because of all the hype. It’s pretty clear that he’s in the same class with them,” said an Eastern Conference scout.
One Western Conference scouting director recalled a 2001 matchup between James’ St.Vincent-St. Mary against Carmelo Anthony’s Oak Hill Academy. It ended in an Oak Hill win, mainly because they were a superior team. However, James’ imprint on the game was unmistakable.
Nonetheless, another scouting director was curious to see how James would navigate the NBA during his first months. After all, LBJ would soon find out that he’s no longer a man amongst boys; in the big league, it’s the other way around. He has outgrown the high school game by a mile, so decision-makers have not seen how he responded against adversity.
“He would have been the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft. That should give you an indication of what kind of talent he is. Of all the other high school kids who’ve come into the league in recent years, the thing that separates LeBron is that he’s physically ready to play. He’s strong. He’s a manly 6-8, 225 (pounds),” the scout stated.
“Having said that, he’s able to get by on his physical ability right now. The question is, what happens when he can’t just get by on physical ability alone? The mental side, the emotional side, those are unknowns. In high school, the only thing we’re seeing is the physical ability,” he added.
In reality, that “problem” was a compliment in disguise. If the only concern was that James made the game look too easy, that was hardly a red flag. For NBA teams, it was the kind of problem they wouldn’t mind having.
A weakness in LeBron’s game?
As mentioned, it was the scouts’ and executives’ jobs to find flaws when there were none. James was no exception. One Western Conference general manager pointed out LeBron’s shooting as a chink in his armor, but he wouldn’t really consider it a deal-breaker. As far as he was concerned, it was much ado about nothing.
“I hear people say shooting is his weak spot. It’s his ‘weaker’ spot,” the executive said. “He’s probably an average shooter, but if you look at Michael Jordan when he came into the league, he was a very average shooter. Kobe was probably an average shooter, too, as a rookie. LeBron’s got enough technique that I wouldn’t worry about it.”
To most evaluators, his jumper was less of a flaw and more of a skill, still catching up with the rest of his game. He had solid mechanics, showed confidence pulling up, and wasn’t afraid to take big shots — all signs that improvement was just a matter of time.
That was the broader picture with LeBron at 17. His game had questions, but none big enough to overshadow his rare blend of polish and potential. The irony remained: scouts were paid to be skeptical, yet with James, the only thing they could criticize was how far ahead of schedule he already seemed.