Can James continue to live up to his hype?

By MIKE WHITE
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
As loud music fills Quicken Loans Arena, some caged white tigers are obeying commands of their trainer. This is an afternoon practice for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, held later that night.

At the same time, one level up in the Arena, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers go through a preseason workout in their practice facility.

It's hard to figure which is the greatest show on earth.

James begins his fourth NBA season Wednesday night. The kid who might have been the most-ballyhooed player to come into the league, is living up to his billing _ and maybe then some.

Some are putting him in the same company with the NBA's all-time greats. For good reason.

If you go by the numbers, James' statistics in his first three seasons are somewhat comparable with some other legendary guard-forward types, such as Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. James, by the way, is still two months shy of his 22nd birthday.

"Is it fair to call him one of the greatest? Yeah," said Cleveland coach Mike Brown. "I say that because he's that talented."

This is greatness:

Last season, James became just the fourth player in NBA history to average at least 31 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. The others were Jordan, Oscar Robertson (twice) and Jerry West.

From March 22 to April 2, James had at least 35 points and 5 rebounds in six consecutive games, The other players to do that were Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robertson and Rick Barry.

In his first three seasons, James has averaged 26.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists. In Jordan's first three seasons, he averaged 31 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists.

Now maybe you can understand the 10-story high billboard on a building across from Quicken Loans Arena. It has a picture of James going up for a one-handed dunk and only four words _ "We Are All Witnesses."

Witnesses to greatness. The Cavaliers averaged 19,327 fans last year, the second-best attendance in franchise history. But the Cavaliers' fans and coaches are not alone in their assessment.

James and the Cavaliers played an exhibition game last Wednesday in Pittsburgh against the Dallas Mavericks. Brad Davis is a radio commentator for the Mavericks who played 15 seasons in the NBA and is the only Maverick to have his number retired.

"As far as overall ability and things he can do, LeBron is special," Davis said. "I played against Jordan. I thought he was the best I've ever seen. He rebounded, he could shoot, he could take it to the hoop and he played defense, too. I think LeBron has those same characteristics."

Jordan was 24 when he started his fourth NBA season. James won't be 22 until Dec. 30.

"Their first three years are very comparable," Davis said, "but then Michael Jordan really shot up after his first three years. I think LeBron is on his way. But I think if you ask him, he'll tell you to give him a couple more years to see what his team accomplishes."

James' legacy might be eventually defined by what his team accomplishes. Johnson won two championships in his first three years with the Los Angeles Lakers. Bird won a title in his second year with the Boston Celtics. But both had much better supporting casts than James. Jordan didn't win a title until his sixth season.

"I don't really care about my individual legacy or my individual accolades," James said. "For my team and myself to be fulfilled, it's about winning championships. ... More than one."

His coach thinks the same way. Brown talked about how Karl Malone and John Stockton were great players, but something was missing because neither won an NBA title.

"A championship gives credibility to yourself and the masses," Brown said. "Having said that, let's say Oscar Robertson never won a championship. He won only one, but you'd still have to call him a great player even if he didn't win that one championship. I mean, you average a triple-double like he did, you have to call him a great player.

"But there will always be that asterisk next to a player if you don't win a championship."

The Cavaliers are at least talking championship. You can hear it at the end of practices when players gather around, put their hands together and, under James' lead, say "1-2-3 championship."

It is not just idle talk for a team that lost to Detroit in seven games in an Eastern Conference semifinal last spring.

"Of course, I believe that (championship talk). I don't say nothing I don't believe," James said. "We have a great shot at winning a championship. That's the way I feel."

The main question is will James get enough scoring support from his teammates to beat the elite teams. When asked if he was happy with the way the Cavaliers have improved their roster since his first season, James said, "I signed my three-year contract extension, didn't I?"

You can bet the city of Cleveland is overjoyed at that. James and Cleveland have clicked. Downtown is much more alive on Cavaliers game nights than before.

James has also endeared himself to the city with such things as his "King For Kids Bike-A-Thon." James, a few other NBA players, including good buddy Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat, and 3,000 other bike-riders pedal through Akron on a summer day, raising money for charities.

James and his mother, Gloria, started the James Family Foundation in 2005. Its purpose is to raise money for children and families, especially single mothers. James gives away 1,000 backpacks full of school supplies at the start of the school year for disadvantaged children. He also participates in read-to-achieve programs at schools. He gives away turkeys at Thanksgiving.