Check out the rookie seasons of LeBron James and Victor Wembanyama from 2003 and 2023.LeBron James and Victor Wembanyama, who were drafted 20 years apart, both entered the NBA as can’t-miss prospects.
SAN ANTONIO star Victor Wembanyama was not yet born when LeBron James made his NBA debut as the most hyped teenager in NBA history in 2003.So, when the league’s most celebrated teen since then takes on the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, expect the 19-year-old to pick his 38-year-old counterpart’s brain.
“[James] is somebody that must have a lot of good advice, a lot of knowledge, probably the most knowledge out of every player in this league,” Wembanyama went on to say. “He’s an icon, definitely someone I could learn some stuff from.”
James, who recently won the inaugural In-Season Tournament MVP award, understands what the 2023 No. 1 overall pick may be feeling in the face of lofty expectations as a young, generational prospect and potential franchise savior.
Wembanyama and the Spurs came into the game on a franchise-record 17-game losing streak.Meanwhile, James was sidelined with a left calf contusion as the Lakers played the second game of a back-to-back after losing to Dallas on Tuesday.
The Spurs will play the Lakers again on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
2003 vs. 2023: What’s changed in the NBA
In 2003: NBA teams averaged 93.4 ppg.
In 2023: NBA teams are averaging 114.3 ppg so far.
The current scoring frenzy can be attributed to rule changes that limited how teams could defend, as well as the more open style that teams now play. Except for two seasons (2019-20 and 2020-21), team scoring averages have increased in every season since 2014-15. The league’s current average of 114.3 is slightly lower than last season’s average of 114.7.
In 2003: NBA teams averaged 5.2 3-pointers per game.
In 2023: NBA teams are averaging 12.6 3-pointers per game.
Did you know that the last time a team won a game without making a 3-pointer was on February 5, 2016? Miami defeated the Charlotte Hornets 98-95 despite missing all nine of its 3-point attempts.As a rookie, James averaged 2.7 attempts from three attempts, and his current average of 5.6 is his lowest in seven seasons. Wembanyama is already averaging 5.1 three-pointers per game.
2003 vs. 2023: Changes in technology & media
In 2003: Nokia was the best-selling cell phone.
In 2023: Apple has just released its iPhone 15, marking 16 years since the original model was released in 2007.
Email, pictures, calendars, and music on one device seemed groundbreaking in James’ rookie year, and he took full advantage, based on this 2003 video of him at WWE Monday Night Raw. As Wembanyama’s rookie season unfolds, there’s not too much we can’t do with handheld devices.
In 2003: MTV’s Total Request Live (TRL) conquered pop culture. In June 2003, James (along with Magic Johnson) made their notable appearance on the hit show.
In 2023: TikTok and social media have become the MTV of the century. From viral dances and other trends…
At 38, James is the league’s oldest player, but he has remained at the forefront of today’s culture, providing plenty of viral moments as he’s grown up before our eyes. Wembanyama appears to be off to a good start in the viral category, too, twenty-two games into his rookie season.
Preparing for NBA spotlight as teenagers
Both Wembanyama and James made their debuts as rookies in front of sold-out crowds nearly 20 years apart, and it’s clear they were well-prepared for the spotlight.
As a 17-year-old, James appeared in the first high school game broadcast on ESPN in 13 years, scoring 31 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, and dishing out six assists as St. Vincent-St. Mary defeated Oak Hill Academy, the country’s top-ranked prep team at the time.
Wembanyama rose to prominence at the age of 14 when he helped France’s JSF Nanterre U18 team finish second in the French League, following in the footsteps of James. The 19-year-old made his professional debut for Nanterre in the EuroCup in 2019.
- Youngest player to score 40
James dropped 41 points in a 107-104 win over the New Jersey Nets at 19 years old.
- Won Rookie of the Month honors every month in 2003
He and No. 3 overall pick Carmelo Anthony became the third and fourth rookies in NBA history to win Rookie of the Month in each of their first seasons, joining San Antonio legends David Robinson (1989-90) and Tim Duncan (1997-98).
Slow start, but historic conclusion
During Cleveland’s first 20 games, James averaged 16.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. He finished strong, joining Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan as the only rookies to average more than 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
Three numbers to remember from Wemby’s first 20 games in 2023
The youngest player to record a 20/20 game.
That happened less than a week ago in a 121-112 loss to Chicago, when Wembanyama became the team’s youngest player to record a 20-point, 20-rebound performance.
The first rookie in history to…
Wembanyama joins Evan Mobley, Lamar Odom, and David Robinson as the only players since 1983-84 to have 45 points, 20 rebounds, five assists, five blocks, and five steals in their first three career games. But he’s the first to do it in under 100 minutes (80).
Top five in each of five categories
The French rookie ranks in the top five of five statistical categories, and leads his peers in three of them. He leads rookies in scoring (18.8 points per game), rebounds (10.6), steals (1.2), and blocks (2.8). His 2.8 blocks per game are the second most in the NBA.