In the most recent episode of The Shop, Lakers star LeBron James revealed the moment when he knew that he could become the GOAT. According to James, he was just 17 when the realization set in that he was destined for greatness.
“I think I was about 17 [years old]. It was the summer of my junior year going into my senior year I was on the cover of Sports Illustrated. They had dubbed me the 'The Chosen One.' And every tournament I was going to and playing against consensus number one players or top 100 guys. I was doing sh*t that sometimes was out of body for myself. I couldn’t even believe some of the sh*t that I was doing. And then at that moment around 17, I knew I could be LeBron, not Jordan, not Penny… I could still use them as inspiration and get some creative ideas from them by watching and studying them because they've done it for a long time. But I started to feel like, oh sh*t, you can now be a part of that room."
LeBron James grew up idolizing athletes such as Michael Jordan, Penny Hardaway , Magic Johnson , and Deion Sanders, and he's always had great respect for their game. As he prepared to enter the league as a 19-year-old teenager, James made it a point to incorporate some of their favorite tactics into his own arsenal.
But by the time LeBron was 17, he already knew that he was destined for something greater. While most players his age would just be aiming to make the league, LeBron was chasing history and came in with huge expectations from the jump.
Tagged as the "Chosen One," LeBron's star potential was evident and he showed it in High School with averages of 25.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game on 55.8% shooting for St. Vincent-St. Mary. James proved to be unstoppable on the court and his dominance was enough for him to get drafted without playing a single minute of college basketball.
Unlike most rookies who were historically hyped, LeBron actually delivered on expectations and went on to win Rookie of the Year for his efforts with averages of 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game on 41.7% shooting.
James has made the All-Star team every single year since then and has built up one of the NBA's best resumes in the process. As a 4x champion, 4x MVP, 20x All-Star, and 20x All-NBA player, James has reached the pinnacle of basketball success and his legacy will stand forever in the lore of sports history. And while he may not be the consensus greatest player ever (6x champion and 5x MVP Michael Jordan still has some claim to the title) LeBron is arguably as close as anyone could get.
Today, over 20 years after it all began, LeBron is not only still a popular face in the league, he's still one of its best players. After averaging 25.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game last season James continues to add to his list of accomplishments and now he's the one who has set the bar.
Just like LeBron used to admire Michael, Magic, and Penny growing up, kids today idolize James and they watch him play to help inspire their own game. In many ways, Lebron is the ultimate NBA success story and it's crazy that he knew so early on what he could become. In a way that nobody else could, King James tapped into his potential and was able to maximize his career for all its worth.
Related: Stephon Marbury Gets Real On GOAT Debate Between Michael Jordan, LeBron James, And Kobe Bryant
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