When was LeBron James drafted? Tracing the top five best players from his draft class

LeBron James' draft class has been labeled as one of the top draft classes in league history. The 2003 NBA Draft may not be as deep as some of the other classes throughout history, however, the top of the class ranks among the best as it features four surefire Hall of Famers. Take a look at the five best players from the 2003 NBA Draft.

#1: LeBron James

There is no question that LeBron James ranks atop his draft class as he is unquestionably one of the greatest players of all-time. The NBA's all-time scoring leader is the only player from the 2003 NBA Draft that is currently on an NBA roster. While his peers have all moved on, James is seventh in the league in scoring, averaging 30.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks per game while shooting 50.8% from the field, 31.5% from 3-point range and 76.4% from the free-throw line. Now in his 20th season, LeBron James has averaged 27.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 50.5% from the field, 34.4% from 3-point range and 73.5% from the free-throw line.

#2: Dwyane Wade

While Carmelo Anthony has a case for the second greatest player from the 2003 NBA Draft, Dwyane Wade takes a slight edge to his postseason success, which saw him win three titles. Over his 16-year career, Wade averaged 22.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field, 29.3% from 3-point range and 76.5% from the free-throw line. Wade is virtually a lock to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame when he first appears on the ballot this summer.

#3: Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo Anthony's tumultuous last several seasons, which have seen him bounce in and out of the league, have likely clouded some fans' perception of him as he has seemingly become underrated. Despite never winning a championship in his 19-year career, Carmelo is currently ranked ninth on the all-time scoring list. Anthony is the only player from the draft class, aside from LeBron James, who has not officially retired from the NBA. He has averaged 22.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks per game while shooting 44.7% from the field, 35.5% from 3-point range and 81.4% from the free-throw line.

#4: Chris Bosh

Chris Bosh was the first member of the 2003 NBA Draft to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as he earned the prestigous honor in 2021. While he wasn't named to the 75th Anniversary Team like the previous three members of this list, Bosh had a noteworthy 13-year career in which he averaged 19.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field, 33.5% from 3-point range and 79.9% from the free-throw line.

#5: David West

While David West did not reach the same level of stardom as the previous four names on the list, he was able to edge out Kyle Korver for the final spot on the list. The 18th overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft is the only player from the draft class aside from LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh to be named to multiple All-Star Teams. Although he may not make the Hall of Fame like the other names on that list, West had a strong career in which he was a star on several postseason teams before joining the Golden State Warriors and winning two titles late in his career. West averaged 13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 49.5% from the field and 81.7% from the free-throw line.