Deja two: LeBron vs. Carmelo may never be Magic vs. Bird, but the rookies' arrival already has signaled the start of a new era

Sporting News, The, Nov 17, 2003 by Sean Deveney

It was a mid-August afternoon in Denver, but already it had been a long day for Carmelo Anthony. He had spent the morning working out at the Nuggets' practice facility (which was so new Anthony said he felt like passing out from the paint fumes), then he stopped at a local diner for a lunch of salad and eggs. Worn out after lunch, Anthony was backing his rented Cadillac out of the diner parking lot and smacked the car's bumper into a tree. No major damage, but a furrowed fender was a headache he did not need.

When Anthony got home to his high-rise condo in downtown Denver, he felt like throwing on some music and shooting pool on the new table at the center of his living room. He had not had much chance to play pool; the balls were barely scuffed. In fact, everything was new in his place. The kitchen table place mats still had price tags on them. But pool and music were out of the question. A stack of papers in a FedEx envelope awaited. Anthony had to read them, initial them and have them notarized. He sulked as he signed. "I really just want to relax," he said. Relax? Forget it, kid.

Anthony was asked what, exactly, those papers were for. "The house I bought for my mother," he said, casually.

Oh, is that all?

Such has been life for half of the NBA's most-hyped, most-anticipated rookie duo in 24 years. Off the court, it has been a blend of typical adolescence (a little pouting and some careless driving) and enormous responsibility (buying a house in the 'burbs for Mom). On the court, it has been pretty much the same, both for Anthony and the player to whom he will be linked forever, Cavaliers wunderkind LeBron James. Anthony is 19, played one year in college and was chosen third in the draft by the Nuggets; James is 18, skipped college and was the No. 1 pick. Both have, early in the season, been inconsistent. But both also have shown tremendous potential and have displayed the willingness and the capability to become marquee players, not only for their traditionally moribund franchises but for the league.

If Anthony has had no time to relax, then it's a wonder James has had time to sleep or even eat a bowl of Cheerios. He already has been a basketball novelty for three years, the nation's most-watched high school athlete ever. Despite his youth, he arrived in the league with a man's body, a polished all-around game, international recognition and the kind of no-sweat demeanor required for handling the crush of attention. When lames opened the season with a brilliant 25-point performance, his stardom was confirmed.

"Some of the things he is doing out there are just breathtaking," says Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. "He makes plays we have not seen anybody make since (Michael) Jordan in terms of pure strength and athletic ability and hanging and seeing things and finishing. It's scary if you're in the same division as those guys."

Together, James and Anthony are the future of the league, and there are plenty of giddy fans and product-hawkers to prove it. James' jersey is the league's best seller. The Cavaliers reportedly saw an increase of 7,000 season-ticket sales during the off-season. The Nuggets increased by 1,500 but had a larger starting base.

The early-season matchup between the two kicked off a Rookie of the Year debate that will be one of the league's compelling subplots. Still, these two stars are not quite aligned perfectly, and talk of a rivalry to match that of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in the 1980s is both premature and ridiculous.

There is a bit of rivalry, thanks to a memorable 2002 showdown in high school. But Johnson and Bird played against each other for the 1979 NCAA championship and wound up with NBA teams that were his toric rivals. James and Anthony play for teams with no history of animosity, and one prep matchup does not make a rivalry. When Cleveland and Denver met for the first time last week, more than 300 media members, domestic and international, showed up in hopes that it would be 1979 all over again. Not quite. James shot 3-for-11, and Anthony was 6-for-17 in a snoozer of a game in which both teams showed it would be a long while before they play each other in the postseason. Until then, we'll have to settle for two helpings per season of 'Melo vs. LeBron.

"These kids are big-time talents," says Warriors general manager Garry St. Jean. "They'll be great players. But too many people are trying to drum up something that happened with Magic and Bird. You have to earn your stripes in this league, and it's way too early for them to have done that."

James and Anthony may not be ready to fill Bird and Magic's high-tops just yet, but they are players around whom franchises can be built. If they are to be torchbearers for the league, though, their teams will need talent upgrades. Jordan played four seasons before the Bulls were able to build the right team around him. Likewise, the Cavaliers got off to an 0-5 start before getting their first win, and though the Nuggets have shown marked improvement, they were 3-4 entering the week and don't have the pieces to be a playoff team yet.