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LEBRON THE PLAYER

There’s nothing LeBron can’t do, at least on the amateur level. In the pros, his challenges will be more complex, his competition more experienced. At approximately 6-7, 240—he has never divulged his vital stats—he has the body to survive what his sure to be a tough rookie season. His quickness and strength are off the charts, his court vision and ballhandling skills are highly developed, and his rebounding and defense aren’t far behind.

Scouts agree that LeBron’s passing ability is nothing short of extraordinary. He not only sees the whole court, but anticipates the movement of teammates and defenders. The weakest part of LeBron’s game is his outside jumper. His range is excellent, but he must become more consistent on the perimeter. It will be interesting to see how his shooting changes with the arduous NBA schedule.

LeBron’s willingness to share the ball and get others involved is one of the things coaches love about him. His unselfishness underscores his innate understanding of basketball and how fully he embraces the fundamentals. It also leads many to believe that LeBron will be extremely coachable and earn him big minutes from the moment he dons an NBA jersey.

Winning appears to be LeBron’s ultimate motivation. He has captured championships at every level, and others naturally gravitate to him. Interestingly, it took Kobe Bryant—the man to whom LeBron will most frequently be compared—two years before he got a full sense of where he stood in the league, and two more years to earn the trust and respect of teammates. Kobe is just now beginning to understand what’s required of a team leader.

If that’s the yardstick LeBron must measure up to, he’ll happily deal with it. It means that people are already putting him on the same level as the NBA’s greatest high-school-to-the-pros success story. It also lets LeBron aim high—something he loves to do. Kobe got his first championship ring in his fourth season. You get the feeling that, if LeBron has any say in the matter, he’ll do it in three.