Believe the hype

James impresses scouts by doing little things well

Calm down, Cavs fans.

Beware, Bulls backers.

Don't get too excited yet, faithful followers of the Nuggets, Grizzlies, Knicks, Heat and Warriors.

Yes, LeBron James looked like the real deal Thursday night.

Yes, the Ohio schoolboy phenom lived up to the hype with a big-time performance in a 20-point blowout of mighty Oak Hill Academy, a perennial national prep powerhouse.

Yes, the 6-foot-8 man-child looks like he has a chance someday soon to hold his own with the likes of Kobe, T-Mac and C-Webb.

But before you start begging your favorite NBA team to start tanking games, remember this fact: the NBA lottery is weighted. Even the team with the worst record stands only a 25 percent chance of landing the first pick. In fact, the worst team hasn't landed the coveted top choice since 1990.

In other words, don't get your hopes up.

That caveat aside, James pretty much delivered the goods Thursday. It wasn't just his gaudy numbers: 31 points, 13 rebounds, six assists. It was the way he made it look easy at both ends.

With scouts from about a dozen NBA teams on hand along with some 100 media members, James showed why he's widely considered the likely first overall pick in next June's NBA Draft. Other than a few ill-advised shots, he played a surprisingly poised and well-rounded game for a 17-year-old making his debut on national TV. He made big shots. He crashed the boards. He hit the open man.

There were some highlight plays: a right-handed hammer dunk in which he took one dribble, cocked the ball back all the way behind his head and soared high over the rim; an amazing around-the-back bounce pass in traffic on a 3-on-2 break; a blocked shot under the basket.

Just as important to the NBA scouts, however, was that he did the little things.

Once, he caught the ball on the wing and started to make a move but stopped when he saw the double team. Instead of trying to force it, he calmly stepped back to create space, spotted an open teammate and then rifled a perfect cross-court skip-pass over the defense. It was a play you see often in the NBA, but rarely in a high school game.

Later, after being instructed by his coach to take the ball to the hoop, he passed up a jumper at the top of the key and instead blew past his defender for a layup and foul. Two other times he followed his own shot and got rebounds for easy baskets. Again, they were the type of smart, aggressive plays that coaches love.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of James' performance was how he routinely -- and rather joyfully -- set up his teammates. Several times he found guys under the basket with laser-beam passes. It's clear his teammates know that if they park it down low on the block, James will find them.

We're not saying James is ready to star in the NBA right now. For one, his jump shot still needs work. But he definitely looks like a legit prospect. He showed that he has all-around skills to go with that NBA body. He showed he has good basketball sense.

Just as important, James showed an ability to meet the moment and deliver under pressure. Sure it was only a high school game, but this was a big-time pressure situation, and he didn't seem fazed at all. He just has the look of a special player.

Living up to the hype is almost impossible in today's sports world. There is just so much noise out there. So many voices screaming to be heard. So much hyperbole and exaggeration.

Michael Jordan did it. So did Tiger Woods. And Thursday night, albeit in a small way, LeBron James did too.

For fans of the Cavs, Bulls, Nuggets, and the rest of the NBA's have-nots, it's almost enough to make the rest of the season bearable.

Marty Burns covers pro basketball for CNNSI.com.

Click here to send Marty a question or comment.

 

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