Getty Image / Gary I Rothstein
When LeBron James entered the NBA, he entered with about as much hype as we’ve ever seen for an athlete beginning their professional career.
He wasted no time proving that he was worth all of the hype.
As a rookie, LeBron averaged 20.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game while helping the Cleveland Cavaliers double their win total from the previous season.
While that impressive rookie season was enough to prove that he was going to be a superstar in the NBA, it turns out that it wasn’t endear him to his teammates.
During an appearance on “The Old Man and the Three”, Paul Silas told JJ Redick that the egos of LeBron’s Cavs teammates wouldn’t allow them to embrace the young star.
This quote from Paul Silas about LeBron's rookie year is wild.
Listen to the full episode of The Old Man and the Three Things with @jj_redick and @talter on Amazon Music: https://t.co/JI7KOU2qA1 pic.twitter.com/kWzlh13brW
— TheOldMan&TheThree (@OldManAndThree) July 24, 2023
“Their egos wouldn’t allow it,” Silas said. “I kept telling them, ‘You have a chance to help one of the game’s future stars,’ but they wouldn’t embrace him. If it bothered LeBron, he never let on.”
Silas also added that LeBron overcoming the jealousy of his teammates makes that season one of the most impressive of his career.
“We won 35 games that year because of him. He’s had some outstanding seasons since then, but that first one may have been the most impressive because of how he excelled in spite of the jealousy on his own team.”
While he may not have had the support of his teammates at the start of his career, he ended up giving Cavs fans plenty to support during his time with the franchise.
He led the team to an NBA Finals appearance in his 4th year with the team and brought home their first ever ring during his 2nd stint in Cleveland.
With LeBron James’ career nearing its end, some of those old Cleveland Cavaliers teammates may look back on his rookie season as a missed opportunity.