at what age did lebron james enter the nba
LeBron James Upon entering the NBA as a 19-year-old rookie, James made an immediate offensive impact and led the Cavaliers in scoring.[253][254] He holds numerous "youngest to" distinctions, including being the youngest player to score 28,000 career points.[e] During his first stint in Cleveland, he was primarily used as an on-ball point forward. His shooting tendencies were perimeter-oriented,[122] and he established himself as one of the best slashers and finishers in basketball; he led the NBA in three-point plays in 2006.[259] His combination of speed, quickness, and size often created matchup problems for opposing teams as he was capable of blowing by larger defenders and overpowering smaller ones.[260] These qualities became more apparent in transition, where he developed a reputation for grabbing defensive rebounds and then beating the defense downcourt for highlight-quality baskets.[261] Around this time, James was frequently criticized for not having developed a reliable jump shot or post game.[262] Teams would try to exploit these weaknesses by giving him space in the half court and forcing him to settle for three-pointers and long two-pointers, a strategy famously utilized by Spurs coach Greg Popovich in the 2007 Finals, where James converted on only 36 percent of his field goals in four games.[263]
LeBron James In February of the 2007–08 season, James was named All-Star Game MVP for the second time behind a 27-point, 8-rebound, and 9-assist performance.[57][58] On March 21, he moved past Brad Daugherty as the Cavaliers' all-time leading scorer in a game against the Raptors, doing so in over 100 less games than Daugherty.[59] His 30 points per game were also the highest in the league, representing his first scoring title.[60] Despite his individual accomplishments, Cleveland's record fell from the year before to 45–37.[61] Seeded fourth in the East entering the playoffs, the Cavaliers defeated the Wizards in the first round for the third consecutive season before being eliminated in seven games by the eventual-champion Boston Celtics in the next round.[62] During the decisive seventh game in Boston, James scored 45 points and Paul Pierce scored 41 in a game the Associated Press described as a "shootout".[63]