Play ball

With the draft behind him, top pick gets right to work

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Once all the cameras and most of the visitors had left the Cavaliers practice court in Gund Arena, LeBron James asked for a favor.

He wanted a basketball.

James returned home on Friday, and the NBA's new No. 1 overall draft pick and future star went right back to being the gym rat he's always been.

"He just loves to play," Cleveland coach Paul Silas said. "His mother just said to me, 'You're going to have to get kick him off the court.' He's got a true passion for the game."

James had shot around by himself for a few minutes before Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund walked over to welcome his newest employee.

"Keep working on that shot," Gund told James.

"I will," James said.

Less than 24 hours after being chosen with the first overall pick, James was introduced at a news conference by the Cavaliers, who have never had a player like him.

"He's very, very special," said Gund, who placed James' arrival in Cleveland on par with anything he has experienced since taking over the Cavaliers in 1983.

"We've had great first picks," he said, "but this one is something else. We haven't won an NBA title yet, so this is right up there. It was just our time, I think."

James flew back to Cleveland late Friday morning following an emotional night at Madison Square Garden when the 18-year-old lived out a boyhood dream. James said he was overwhelmed when his named was called first by NBA commissioner David Stern.

"That was a dream come true," he said. "I had known I was going to be the first pick. But to shake David Stern's hand was what I always dreamed about. It didn't really matter what team I rooted for when I was little. I just wanted to be up there (on stage). It was like a final step, and a new beginning."

As he did during a whirlwind week of photo shoots and appearances in New York, James flawlessly handled reporters questions during his first interviews since returning to Cleveland.

He laughed when asked if he was sick of answering the same kind of questions.

"I just said that before I got up here," said James, joined on the podium by Gund, Silas and Cavs general manager Jim Paxson. "But it's cool, ya'll are my friends."

Silas, who was hired shortly after the Cavaliers won the NBA lottery and the rights to James, had only met the most hyped high school player one other time.

Silas has never seen a player James' age who is as talented, mature or confident.

"I have not, especially with the poise he has," Silas said. "There has been so much thrown at him, so fast. It's amazing how he handles it. He says the right things and he doesn't get into confrontations with other guys."

Silas, though, knows James is an unfinished product. There will be some rough days ahead for him.

"He's still got a lot of growing to do," Silas said. "He'll have his ups and downs but the cream rises, and I think he's got quite a lot of that."

James is already the center of attention in Cleveland, and the city has been buzzing since May 22 when the Cavaliers won the draft lottery.

Following the news conference, James went across the street to Jacobs Field where he took some pregame batting practice and threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Indians played the Cincinnati Reds.

He spent a few minutes chatting in the dugout with Ken Griffey Jr. and was introduced to Sean Casey before James went to Cleveland's clubhouse, where he exchanged phone numbers with Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia.

The spotlight is only going to get brighter as the NBA season approaches for James. But that seems to be when James shines best.

"When the lights go on, he's on," said his agent, Aaron Goodwin.

James, who will play in summer leagues with the Cavaliers in Orlando and Boston next month, said he's not worried about any of his teammates being jealous of his fame.

He may already be a No. 1 pick, potentially richer than any of his new teammates and the town's biggest celebrity. But James also knows he's only a rookie with a lot to learn.

James was asked how he'll handle it the first time he yells or tells a veteran player what to do.

"I'm not going to say anything until they let me know I'm the leader of the team," James said. "I'm not going to say anything."

When will he know it's time, then?

"After one game, they'll say, 'You are our leader, and you need to take over,"' James said. "Until then, I'm not saying nothing."

Until then, he's just going to play.

 

Related information

Stories

Cavaliers inaugurate James era with first pick Hollinger: NBA Draft best and worst Stewart Mandel: 'Duke curse' not going away Ian Thomsen: Maciej Lampe gets a lesson in the business of basketball Marty Burns grades the NBA Draft

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video