When did LeBron James join the NBA? Looking at the league landscape when "The King" arrived on the scene

When LeBron James joined the NBA for the 2003-04 season, he quickly made his presence felt as he won the Rookie of the Year award. Throughout his first season, he averaged 20.9 points per game to go along with 5.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. During that time, the Cavaliers went from the worst in the East, to 9th place.

Prior to James joining the league for the 2003-04 season, the league had seen the San Antonio Spurs claim the NBA championship. The season also saw Tim Duncan win the regular season MVP, marking his second straight award.

Prior to James joining the league, he had his sights set on dominance. In a famous feature for Sports Illustrated in 2001, James spoke about his goals, saying:

"You know, every day you have to go out there and work, because there's someone out there working too, and if you stop, I think they can pass you up. 'So every day, my coaches push me, I push myself, and my teammates push me."

"My mother brought me up real good, and it's pretty easy 'cause the way that I was brought up, she taught me so much things beside basketball, and I just hope that helps me be level-headed."

Once he got to the league, James was admittedly nervous for his first game. Despite this, once the game tipped off, he immediately got going with a midrange shot.

LeBron James' rookie debut

When LeBron James stepped on the court for his debut, he and the Cleveland Cavaliers faced off against the Sacramento Kings. Despite the Cavaliers losing, LeBron made his presence felt in the league, dropping 25 points in 42 minutes. In addition, he hauled down 6 rebounds while dishing out 9 assists.

Arguably most impressive was the way that James managed to record 4 steals in the game, shutting down any questions about his defense. With Paul Silas as the team's head coach, James' career was off on the right path.

Years later, Silas reflected on his advice to James during his rookie year. He spoke to the Boston Globe, saying:

“I would have to get him and tell him these things are going to happen to you, but you can’t think about this,” Paul Silas told the Boston Globe. “You’ve got to play the game and understand it’s up to you if we’re going to win. You have to play hard and your mind has to be right."

“That’s when he really started to change.”

LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers Media Day)

To this day, the four-time champion credits Silas with helping him get started in the league. After Silas' passing, James spoke about the impact he had on his career, saying:

"Probably one of the greatest human beings I've ever been around. The start of my journey in this league started with him."

Below you can see footage of LeBron James speaking about Silas after his passing following a game for the LA Lakers earlier this season: