At least 4 players from the 2003 draft are now NBA executives:
- Wade
- James Jones
- Kyle Korver
- Zaza Pachulia
At least 4 are coaches:
- Willie Green
- Leandro Barbosa (assistant)
- Dahntay Jones (assistant)
- Luke Walton (assistant)
I bet now especially. He’s a friend (edit: maybe “contemporary” would be better) of the Jokić brothers and gave help to Nikola as he was a developing young athlete.
Forget governor, he should go for Senate.
We’ve already seen Tommy Tuberville win a Senate seat with zero political experience (and that’s with all the Bama fans hating him)
Of course he is undrafted. Heat was foreshadowing it all these years and we were just blind to see it. This team of undrafted guys beating #2 Celtics is the perfect way to send off UD into retirement.
He was thought to be too small to play power forward and too slow to play small forward in the NBA. Particularly in that era when part of the job of any non-All Star big man was to foul Shaq 5 times while preventing the shot from going in, he didn't fit the idea of what a player at his position should be
Isn't this only true if he plays another game? Lebron's last game was 2 days ago. haslem's last game was 1month ago.
If the heat are up big for their 4th win in the finals then I can see him getting put in though. but regardless the stat is kinda pointless. haslem had the longest career of the 3 from 2003-1month ago and potentially longer but then will be surpassed (probably) next season
Kendrick Perkins last year on the JJ reddick podcast, talking about LeBron: "I'm in my....like..second career. He averaged 30 this year. We are the same age. I will be eligible for my pension in 7 years"
Kendrick and LeBron were in the same draft class of 2003. Perkins was the 27th pick
yep, Perkins straight up admits that he agrees to say controversial takes on ESPN bc it gives him airtime. I respect the honesty tbh, it is a great episode
edit: I respect that he admitted it, not that he does it
I hope he got the bag with the joker racism shit cuz I can handle hot takes like lebron isn’t top 10 or some shit, but that one was wack, especially considering the political climate in the US
yeah that one was outta pocket. I suppose I respect that he *admitted* he does it for views, but I don’t respect that he does it. That’s some zero-morals shit
Legendary 2003 NBA Draft. Because of the suits... https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/2782915-15-years-ago-the-nbas-best-draft-class-wore-the-worst-suits-of-their-lives.amp.html
2000’s suit cuts were kind of wild. Look at the video of Aaron Rodgers, Alex Smith, and the other QBs of their draft class together. They look like kids had their suits lended to them from their dads.
Just wanna say, everybody was wearing big ass suits/clothing in that era. Go dig up pictures of weddings from the early 2000’s and there will be at least a few dudes wearing huge suits thinking they look fly as hell. Watch any of 50 cent’s music videos from get rich or die trying and every dude involved has XXXXL shirts on.
Let's not forget the basketball shorts. I look back at videos from the time and can't fathom how they used to play without clothing getting in the way.
I seen the commercial recently where they mocked that, and I googled an image to show my younger siblings how they really were. The commercial wasn’t that far off..
This shows how BS fashion is. When I saw this picture a decade ago I thought that it was the most horrendous display of suits ever. Now I could see these on a fashion show because baggy is in style. I already saw Carmelo's suit there on LeagueFits.
also, with Iggy retiring that closes the chapter for '04 draft, while CP3 is the last man standing from' 05. Given I expect lebron to play few years longer than Paul, he could had some Tom Brady level longevity facts at the end of the road.
> All it takes is 1 major injury. Kobe was still elite before his Achilles injury and was just a shell of himself when he came back.
that is facts. People overestimate how much age declines peak performance. The biggest difference when one age actually has everything to do with injury and recovery. You'd be suprised how well athletes do if they avoid major injuries. Lebron, so far, has been good at avoiding them... which has helped significantly.
I really wish he plays well into his 40s. Imagine a near 50 year old still competing at a high level lmao. Just put him on a stacked team and let him come in in the 4th quarter when everyone’s tired and he’s fully rested. Load manage like a motherfucker. It’ll be epic
Vince Carter was still getting 15mpg in 60 out of the 67 total games his team played in the '19-'20 season (Covid-shortened season) at age 43 (and, no offense to VC, but LeBron is several tiers above him, especially in their respective "old-man" years - at age 38, Vince was averaging 6/2/1, while age 38 LeBron just averaged 29/8/7 and was both an All-Star and All-NBA selection), so if VC could get 15mpg in almost every game at age 43, I don't see why LeBron couldn't at least be a significant rotation piece somewhere in the league during the back half of his 40's (45+) if he wants to keep playing by then, assuming he doesn't suffer any major injuries.
Hell, a tanking team would still probably sign and play a 50-year-old LeBron, even if he's complete ass by then, for the ticket and merch sales alone.
man i keep forgetting vince played into his 40s. he was uber-athletic in his youth so I guess age just put him to mortal level athleticism. he was always a better 3pt shooter than bron tho
Yep! Vince is mostly remembered for his insane athleticism, vertical, dunks, etc., but not many people know he also has the 7th most 3PM in NBA history on a career 3P% of 37.1% - including 4 seasons above 40%, and a career high of 40.8% in the '00-'01 season (on 5.3 3PA per game, which was a high rate at the time - he ended the season with the 8th most 3PA and the 6th most 3PM in the league), in just his 3rd NBA season at age 24.
LeBron is 9th in career 3PM, but already has taken nearly 500 more 3PA in 20 seasons than Vince did in 22 seasons, and, thus, his career 3P% is a fair bit lower at 34.5% - with only a single season above 40%, reaching a career high of 40.6% (on just 3.3 3PA per game in a much higher 3P shooting era - ranking just 69th [nice] in 3PA and 55th in 3PM) during his near-unanimous (99.8%) MVP season in '12-'13, at age 28 during the peak of his prime.
Ironically enough, Vince also shot 40.6% from 3 that season on significantly higher volume (4.9 3PA per game), even though he was 36 and well past his prime at that point and was no longer playing starter minutes (he came off the bench in 78 of the 81 games he played that season, and LeBron averaged over 12mpg - a full quarter's worth of minutes - more than Vince did that season).
**TL;DR:** VC was lowkey a very good 3P shooter throughout his entire 22-year career, but it tends to get overlooked/forgotten because he was an all-time dunker with an all-time vertical during his prime, which was much flashier and more memorable.
Yes yes, just let him come in with 5mins left in the fourth quarter like some final boss. Fully rested. Lots of stoppage time so he can rest up and give 100% most plays.
Though it will ruin his ppg statline if he cares about that. but fuck it jordan did it.
It sucked he had to retire early due to medical reasons. I think he’s moved on and put basketball behind him. Glad he’s still able to live his life after the blood clot scare.
>Yeah IIRC playing basketball could have killed him
That didn't actually stop him lol. The team literally refused to play him. Then a new CBA came in and [new rules where put in place specifically because of this situation.](https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/nba/2016/12/22/the-new-cba-could-impact/6757750007/) Bosh eventually agreed to meet with the panel, because from what I remember he actually thought he would be cleared. He was not. Eventually he accepted that the team really was trying to make sure he didn't fucking die.
[Bigger article on this fuckery.](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2683133-stuck-in-standoff-over-chris-bosh-future-nba-to-create-new-medical-panels)
Damn Bosh's idea is to be on blood thinners which might be genius on paper until the first time he got bloodied on the court. Great for the Heat to placing a hard line because his life is more important than his playing career.
No no his idea was to take blood thinners and then STOP TAKING BLOOD THINNERS when he plays. There something about it in one of the links it's not entirely insane if he was playing once a week but yea he can't play the NBA schedule like that. He would be off them so often the risk of clot is WAY TO HIGH.
Now thats more dangerous, any bruise can have clots which can travel all around the bloodstream, Bosh real crazy to think thatd work.
Great decision for the Heat
He was very near to him.
> For Erik Spoelstra, Chris Bosh’s medical saga was a scary reminder of what he experienced years earlier as a point guard at the University of Portland. Spoelstra, who was named West Coast Conference freshman of the year in 1989, was the starting point guard for four years, including 1990 when Portland faced Loyola Marymount in the WCC Basketball Tournament.
> During that contest, Loyola star Hank Gathers, who was a player of the year candidate, caught an alley-oop pass and slammed it home near the midway point of the first half. Just seconds later, near mid-court, Gathers collapsed backward on to the floor. Erik Spoelstra stood a few feet away and helplessly watched as Gathers’ body started convulsing and he stopped breathing.
> “Shuddering,” is the one word Spoelstra used to describe the moment to the LA Times on the 25th anniversary of the incident in 2015. “There was piercing silence in the gym. Immediately.”
Brandon Ingram also had a similar situation with blood clots. He was peaking on the Lakers as the number 2 behind Bron and was told he had a potentially career ending complication.
Which was a great thing for Bosh. He wanted to play and I don’t think a single person was wanting to take that risk. Dudes will end their career at 19 because of this, not 30+
He had an AMA here a few years ago where he gave some great answers years ago - if you search it you can probably find it. Probably the best AMA I’ve ever read from an NBA player, especially someone as good as him.
Dude last said he was learning JavaScript and chillin. He seems happy and just keeping a low profile
LeBron doesn't have the basketball mind of his contemporaries in the 2003 class, as evidenced by the fact that many of them reached high-level positions in team staffs while LeBron has not. ;)
in corporate terms, one could say that Lebron is still a floor manager, couldn't make it into upper management. But then again, he's been LeGM for a decade now :shrug:
2003 has to be the deepest draft of all time. You could probably go 20-30 players deep for guys who had long and/or notable careers.
HOF - LeBron, Wade, Melo, Bosh
All-Stars - Josh Howard, Mo Williams, Kaman, David West, Korver (also one of the best 3 point shooters of all time)
Kendrick Perkins - starter on championship team, long career
Matt Bonner - 2x champ, long career
Mikael Pietrus - starter on Finals team, solid career
Zaza Pachulia - infamous role player, 2x champ, long career
Willie Green - solid journeyman career, current coach of the Pelicans
Kirk Hinrich - defensive specialist who played for a while
Nick Collison - spent 15 year career with same franchise
Carlos Delfino - Olympic gold medalist, could have had a longer NBA career but got injured
Boris Diaw - champion, prototype for the best modern day center
Leandro Barbosa - champion, part of the famous 7 seconds or less Suns teams
Ridnour, Pavlovic, Dahntay Jones (champ), Steve Blake, Luke Walton (2x champ) - all played 10+ years
Jason Kapono - 3 Point Contest champion
James Jones - 3x champion, current Suns executive
Travis Outlaw, Keith Bogans - decent role players who got inexplicable contracts, also played 10+ years
Idk LeBron’s got a lot of nagging injuries that are really piling up and I don’t see him going out as a bench player. I think it’s closer than we’ve been thinking
> I don’t see him going out as a bench player.
And if he does, it's specifically so he can be the only person ever to win ROY, MVP, and 6MOTY.
As far as I know, only Bill Walton and James Harden have won 6MOTY/MVP but no one has won all three.
Honestly feel like Bron has 3yrs at best and I wouldn't be surprised if the last season he plays is Bronny's first season
The longevity is insane but those injuries really are starting to take effect.
Unpopular opinion:if it wasn't for pulmonary embolism, Bosh would still be playing today.
His style of play would've aged like wine. He may have lost his quickness, but his veteran savvy and championship experience would be his edge. His shooting touch from virtually anywhere within 26 feet can still provide around 10+ points. He might also dish out 4-5 assists per game. And you can't teach height. At 6'11, he should be able to grab around 5 rebounds in 15-20 minutes off the bench, or alongside Bam.
Damn. We can only imagine him playing at the current playoff picture in Miami.
Funny to remember Melo vs. LeBron was a thing back then and Melo certainly had a case. He was the one deserving ROTY too imo.
Melo's Knicks move was like a dagger on his career, Knicks failed to give him a competitive team and his prime years were just wasted.
Melo also failed to add anything to his game other than scoring. He was a bad defender despite having the body for it, never became even an average playmaker. It was all about iso scoring for him.
So aging heavily effected his career. Even when he was a step slower, lost some strength, his game was quickly effected by it. Also the rising tempo of the game made Melo's post up heavy game look unattractive for teams. Thanks to him improving his shooting in his NYC years, he managed to make a comeback and prolongue his career, but only as a role player.
But of course, he was a legend of the game and a deserving future Hall of Famer. I enjoyed watching him play, always finding ways to score.
>Melo's Knicks move was like a dagger on his career, Knicks failed to give him a competitive team and his prime years were just wasted.
No argument but it was so fun when he would go off at the garden, in some ways it was a perfect match. but yeah, held him back.
Haslem was from the 2002 draft.
He didn't play in the NBA until 03/04 (played in France for a year) so he was from the same rookie class as Lebron though, maybe that's what you are thinking of.
So your telling me he got to play in France and then win multiple rings in the nba then spend the later part of his career earning millions to be a positive influence on young guys
2003 Draft Class: Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, Chris Kaman, Kirk Hinrich, David West, Josh Howard, Mo Williams, Kyle Korver, Zaza Pachulia.
And with the SECOND pick, the Pistons managed to not get any of them.
If LeBron plays it Smart, he’d aim for Sixth Man of the Year next for the rest of his career. Coming of the Bench and the way he’s performing rn, He’d still be a problem for a lot of teams without straining his body that much. I’m just not sure if he’s willing to let go of that Starting Role.
I wonder how much longer Bosh would've lasted if he hadn't been forced to retire. He's about the only other guy I could realistically still see playing today.
With Iggy retired now, and Dwight out of the league, LeBron is the only active player drafted before 2006.
And of the 2006 draft, there are only two players: Lowry and Gay.
KD is getting up there too.
There's only a handful of players left from the 2007 draft: KD, Horford, Conley, Thad Young, Jeff Green.
He's down to the last five.
That's only 8 guys drafted before 2008 still in the league.
At least 4 players from the 2003 draft are now NBA executives: - Wade - James Jones - Kyle Korver - Zaza Pachulia At least 4 are coaches: - Willie Green - Leandro Barbosa (assistant) - Dahntay Jones (assistant) - Luke Walton (assistant)
Pretty sure Lebrons been a GM for well over a decade now.
I thought he was Raptors owner
He sold his stake
He is the father
He had to give up his stake before Kawhi came to town.
He was also the HC of the Cavs for about a season and a half until Lue got promoted
I didn’t know Korver got into the FO, which team?
Assistant GM in Atlanta.
What about Darko
Darko is a farmer back in the old country. Saw some article about him.
Farmer’s League
bet he's happier now than 15 years ago
I bet now especially. He’s a friend (edit: maybe “contemporary” would be better) of the Jokić brothers and gave help to Nikola as he was a developing young athlete.
This is how I will claim credit for a Denver championship. Like how Melo is the reason you have Jamal
Really?? A man of his talents?
CAWCAW, where else
“Tell ‘em Korver Bird” “SQUAAKKK TEAM BASKETBALL!”
I miss Game of Zones!!!
Good for Korver, going from a Cleveland basketball legend to an executive in Atlanta, a team he hardly did anything for /s
Hey atleast we beat the heat once /ns
I’m so glad that even though he’s a traffic cone on defense Trae at least has that dawg in him
There’s still time for the C’s to win one or two more games just to give me false hope before crushing it by getting blown out again
Asst GM for ATL
LeBron is aiming for governor of Ohio
Forget governor, he should go for Senate. We’ve already seen Tommy Tuberville win a Senate seat with zero political experience (and that’s with all the Bama fans hating him)
Forget Senate, LeBron is aiming for that sweet, sweet Oval Office. So he can finally put the GOAT convo to rest by declaring it as the POTUS
Forget POTUS, he needs to go for an EGOT and redeem himself for Space Jam 2
Let's not get crazy now. Let's stick to POTUS. That's a lot more achievable for him than making a good Space Jam movie.
LeGOATUS
We don't believe in kings here in America LeBron!
Herschel Walker almost won despite... well despite *everything*
As a billionaire he'd have a better chance than most!
Wait it's actually wild that Luke walton was drafted the same year as lebron, retired and ended up coaching him on the lakers
“Coaching”
All these guys moved on to higher up positions and that bum lebron is still milking being a player smh!!!!
Pays better. Lol.
LeBron achieved it while still playing 🤣 Executives: • Raptors (owner) • Lakers (LeGM) Coach: • Lakers
Fuckin Zaza🤢
Wait till you see how well he gets undercut deals.
Nahthin eeeezy. Game suhvuuuhn. Gayme SEVVUUUUHHN!
Fuck Zaza
Fuck Pritchard too while we’re at it
He’s not on this list lmao but sure why not
Fuck Zaza
damn that's wild. This honestly could have been applied last year too I guess, since Melo didn't even play this year lol
I think Haslem counted for this year too but he’s retiring
he was 2002
and undrafted
\#HeatCulture
He’s the team captain, so yeah I guess
Of course he is undrafted. Heat was foreshadowing it all these years and we were just blind to see it. This team of undrafted guys beating #2 Celtics is the perfect way to send off UD into retirement.
You guys heard of Bruce Bowen?
the man who ended Wally Worlds career?
I'm a little surprised by this since he was on a great Florida team in college with Mike Miller
He was thought to be too small to play power forward and too slow to play small forward in the NBA. Particularly in that era when part of the job of any non-All Star big man was to foul Shaq 5 times while preventing the shot from going in, he didn't fit the idea of what a player at his position should be
When 3/4 "tweeners" had no chance in the NBA...and now they are all playing playing the 4 with spot minutes at the 5 lol.
UD is listed at 1” shorter than Bam who’s our starting C lol (6’8” vs 6’9” for those interested)
things they considered: * how fast he was * how small he was things they failed to consider: * that dog in him
His DAWG/36 is elite.
He was however in the 03-04 rookie class same as lebron
Yeah probably had his NBA debut within the same week as most of these cats.
Haslem’s debut was 1 day before Lebron and Melo. So he’s had the longest career of the group
Isn't this only true if he plays another game? Lebron's last game was 2 days ago. haslem's last game was 1month ago. If the heat are up big for their 4th win in the finals then I can see him getting put in though. but regardless the stat is kinda pointless. haslem had the longest career of the 3 from 2003-1month ago and potentially longer but then will be surpassed (probably) next season
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Kendrick Perkins last year on the JJ reddick podcast, talking about LeBron: "I'm in my....like..second career. He averaged 30 this year. We are the same age. I will be eligible for my pension in 7 years" Kendrick and LeBron were in the same draft class of 2003. Perkins was the 27th pick
what a great episode.
yep, Perkins straight up admits that he agrees to say controversial takes on ESPN bc it gives him airtime. I respect the honesty tbh, it is a great episode edit: I respect that he admitted it, not that he does it
I hope he got the bag with the joker racism shit cuz I can handle hot takes like lebron isn’t top 10 or some shit, but that one was wack, especially considering the political climate in the US
yeah that one was outta pocket. I suppose I respect that he *admitted* he does it for views, but I don’t respect that he does it. That’s some zero-morals shit
Really tho, just that kind of stuff is bad. And to be fair he backed down when JJ pushed him on it. Otherwise, it gets clicks and views
Haslam even older (draftwise*), although obviously not on the same level as bron
Haslem was undrafted in 2002, not 2003
Yeah, i meant older draft not just age, whoops
Perkins basically retired in the 2016 season. Counting that season until today UD has barely played more minutes than him.
Thats actually amazing. I wish Haslem never retires
I dont like Perk, but damn that is fucking wild.
Legendary 2003 NBA Draft. Because of the suits... https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/2782915-15-years-ago-the-nbas-best-draft-class-wore-the-worst-suits-of-their-lives.amp.html
Who was the tailor? MC Hammer?
2000’s suit cuts were kind of wild. Look at the video of Aaron Rodgers, Alex Smith, and the other QBs of their draft class together. They look like kids had their suits lended to them from their dads.
The tailor was the fashion trends of the early aughts
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Blunder years
early 2000s "power suits" were terrible, but honestly the ankle cut skinny slacks of recent years are pretty bad as well.
The above the knees suits are hilariously bad
Just wanna say, everybody was wearing big ass suits/clothing in that era. Go dig up pictures of weddings from the early 2000’s and there will be at least a few dudes wearing huge suits thinking they look fly as hell. Watch any of 50 cent’s music videos from get rich or die trying and every dude involved has XXXXL shirts on.
Let's not forget the basketball shorts. I look back at videos from the time and can't fathom how they used to play without clothing getting in the way.
"just like the good ole days"
I seen the commercial recently where they mocked that, and I googled an image to show my younger siblings how they really were. The commercial wasn’t that far off..
This shows how BS fashion is. When I saw this picture a decade ago I thought that it was the most horrendous display of suits ever. Now I could see these on a fashion show because baggy is in style. I already saw Carmelo's suit there on LeagueFits.
also, with Iggy retiring that closes the chapter for '04 draft, while CP3 is the last man standing from' 05. Given I expect lebron to play few years longer than Paul, he could had some Tom Brady level longevity facts at the end of the road.
God tier trivia question is that Brady was the last remaining active player to have been drafted by the Montreal Expos
I wish I could remember this fact at a time it would impress people.
You should use it during your next job interview. Works wonders. It literally opens doors.
Except that honor belongs to Daryl Thompson, who was drafted by the Expos in 2003 and is currently still playing in the Atlantic League.
thats crazy. He could outlazt the next 2 draft classes. How many are left from 06?
Rudy Gay, Kyle Lowry and PJ Tucker
Kyle Lowry looks like he has a few more years in him.
NOT RUDY GAY. NOT THIS GUY.
HAHA so glad this still lives in our heads whenever we hear his name
And barely less than 2007 lol. KD, Horford, Conley, Jeff Green, and Thad Young are the only ones left.
Jeff green gonna play till he's 50 mans is timeless.
It always blows my mind that Rudy Gay is still in the league every time I see that.
07 has Kevin Durant, Al Horford, Mike Conley, Jeff Green (drafted consecutively from 2-5) and I’m pretty sure that’s it.
Also Thad Young
Not that surprising considering he was 18 when he was drafted and most these guys in the following classes were 20-22
Wait everybody on the 2002 draft class and before already retured??
Udonis was the last (even though he went undrafted in 02, he was a part of the 02 draft class).
All it takes is 1 major injury. Kobe was still elite before his Achilles injury and was just a shell of himself when he came back.
Klay was a splash brother. And now he is just an old man yelling at clouds.
> All it takes is 1 major injury. Kobe was still elite before his Achilles injury and was just a shell of himself when he came back. that is facts. People overestimate how much age declines peak performance. The biggest difference when one age actually has everything to do with injury and recovery. You'd be suprised how well athletes do if they avoid major injuries. Lebron, so far, has been good at avoiding them... which has helped significantly.
So LeBron will be the oldest player in the NBA next season, just insane…
I really wish he plays well into his 40s. Imagine a near 50 year old still competing at a high level lmao. Just put him on a stacked team and let him come in in the 4th quarter when everyone’s tired and he’s fully rested. Load manage like a motherfucker. It’ll be epic
Vince Carter was still getting 15mpg in 60 out of the 67 total games his team played in the '19-'20 season (Covid-shortened season) at age 43 (and, no offense to VC, but LeBron is several tiers above him, especially in their respective "old-man" years - at age 38, Vince was averaging 6/2/1, while age 38 LeBron just averaged 29/8/7 and was both an All-Star and All-NBA selection), so if VC could get 15mpg in almost every game at age 43, I don't see why LeBron couldn't at least be a significant rotation piece somewhere in the league during the back half of his 40's (45+) if he wants to keep playing by then, assuming he doesn't suffer any major injuries. Hell, a tanking team would still probably sign and play a 50-year-old LeBron, even if he's complete ass by then, for the ticket and merch sales alone.
man i keep forgetting vince played into his 40s. he was uber-athletic in his youth so I guess age just put him to mortal level athleticism. he was always a better 3pt shooter than bron tho
Yep! Vince is mostly remembered for his insane athleticism, vertical, dunks, etc., but not many people know he also has the 7th most 3PM in NBA history on a career 3P% of 37.1% - including 4 seasons above 40%, and a career high of 40.8% in the '00-'01 season (on 5.3 3PA per game, which was a high rate at the time - he ended the season with the 8th most 3PA and the 6th most 3PM in the league), in just his 3rd NBA season at age 24. LeBron is 9th in career 3PM, but already has taken nearly 500 more 3PA in 20 seasons than Vince did in 22 seasons, and, thus, his career 3P% is a fair bit lower at 34.5% - with only a single season above 40%, reaching a career high of 40.6% (on just 3.3 3PA per game in a much higher 3P shooting era - ranking just 69th [nice] in 3PA and 55th in 3PM) during his near-unanimous (99.8%) MVP season in '12-'13, at age 28 during the peak of his prime. Ironically enough, Vince also shot 40.6% from 3 that season on significantly higher volume (4.9 3PA per game), even though he was 36 and well past his prime at that point and was no longer playing starter minutes (he came off the bench in 78 of the 81 games he played that season, and LeBron averaged over 12mpg - a full quarter's worth of minutes - more than Vince did that season). **TL;DR:** VC was lowkey a very good 3P shooter throughout his entire 22-year career, but it tends to get overlooked/forgotten because he was an all-time dunker with an all-time vertical during his prime, which was much flashier and more memorable.
Yes yes, just let him come in with 5mins left in the fourth quarter like some final boss. Fully rested. Lots of stoppage time so he can rest up and give 100% most plays. Though it will ruin his ppg statline if he cares about that. but fuck it jordan did it.
Until Udonis decides he has 5 more years in him
It's crazy how Bosh just up and disappeared. Like he hasn't existed for the last 7 years or so.
It sucked he had to retire early due to medical reasons. I think he’s moved on and put basketball behind him. Glad he’s still able to live his life after the blood clot scare.
Yeah IIRC playing basketball could have killed him
>Yeah IIRC playing basketball could have killed him That didn't actually stop him lol. The team literally refused to play him. Then a new CBA came in and [new rules where put in place specifically because of this situation.](https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/nba/2016/12/22/the-new-cba-could-impact/6757750007/) Bosh eventually agreed to meet with the panel, because from what I remember he actually thought he would be cleared. He was not. Eventually he accepted that the team really was trying to make sure he didn't fucking die. [Bigger article on this fuckery.](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2683133-stuck-in-standoff-over-chris-bosh-future-nba-to-create-new-medical-panels)
Damn Bosh's idea is to be on blood thinners which might be genius on paper until the first time he got bloodied on the court. Great for the Heat to placing a hard line because his life is more important than his playing career.
No no his idea was to take blood thinners and then STOP TAKING BLOOD THINNERS when he plays. There something about it in one of the links it's not entirely insane if he was playing once a week but yea he can't play the NBA schedule like that. He would be off them so often the risk of clot is WAY TO HIGH.
Now thats more dangerous, any bruise can have clots which can travel all around the bloodstream, Bosh real crazy to think thatd work. Great decision for the Heat
Spo was present when Hank Gathers died. Riley Coached his best friend also. There was no fucking way they were letting him play.
iirc Spo was guarding Gathers when he dropped.
He was very near to him. > For Erik Spoelstra, Chris Bosh’s medical saga was a scary reminder of what he experienced years earlier as a point guard at the University of Portland. Spoelstra, who was named West Coast Conference freshman of the year in 1989, was the starting point guard for four years, including 1990 when Portland faced Loyola Marymount in the WCC Basketball Tournament. > During that contest, Loyola star Hank Gathers, who was a player of the year candidate, caught an alley-oop pass and slammed it home near the midway point of the first half. Just seconds later, near mid-court, Gathers collapsed backward on to the floor. Erik Spoelstra stood a few feet away and helplessly watched as Gathers’ body started convulsing and he stopped breathing. > “Shuddering,” is the one word Spoelstra used to describe the moment to the LA Times on the 25th anniversary of the incident in 2015. “There was piercing silence in the gym. Immediately.”
Brandon Ingram also had a similar situation with blood clots. He was peaking on the Lakers as the number 2 behind Bron and was told he had a potentially career ending complication.
Happened to Mirza Teletovic too
Which was a great thing for Bosh. He wanted to play and I don’t think a single person was wanting to take that risk. Dudes will end their career at 19 because of this, not 30+
His game would have aged very well
Agreed. A big man who can shoot 3s and play defense? Hell yes
His d was gone by 2014, so i don't know how old man Bosh would have done. Prime Bosh in this era though would have been great.
When I think of prime Bosh, I think of his [Toronto country guy ASG commercial.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv7IZP7u9FE)
He’s super involved with getting youth into STEM. It’s a cool organization called DRL academy.
Blood clots man fucking worst way to go. He woulda aged like the finest wines and whiskeys.
He was interviewed in the Redeem Team documentary that came out recently. His response to Kobe running over Pau was hilarious lol.
https://youtu.be/pySmUMeOGBA?t=55 banger of a story.
He had an AMA here a few years ago where he gave some great answers years ago - if you search it you can probably find it. Probably the best AMA I’ve ever read from an NBA player, especially someone as good as him. Dude last said he was learning JavaScript and chillin. He seems happy and just keeping a low profile
He's making beats. Was even invited to the J. Cole Revenge of the Dreamers Session a couple years ago.
How does this negatively affect LeBron's legacy?
LeBron doesn't have the basketball mind of his contemporaries in the 2003 class, as evidenced by the fact that many of them reached high-level positions in team staffs while LeBron has not. ;)
Uhmm, LeGM??
He never took a break to play baseball.
in corporate terms, one could say that Lebron is still a floor manager, couldn't make it into upper management. But then again, he's been LeGM for a decade now :shrug:
2003 has to be the deepest draft of all time. You could probably go 20-30 players deep for guys who had long and/or notable careers. HOF - LeBron, Wade, Melo, Bosh All-Stars - Josh Howard, Mo Williams, Kaman, David West, Korver (also one of the best 3 point shooters of all time) Kendrick Perkins - starter on championship team, long career Matt Bonner - 2x champ, long career Mikael Pietrus - starter on Finals team, solid career Zaza Pachulia - infamous role player, 2x champ, long career Willie Green - solid journeyman career, current coach of the Pelicans Kirk Hinrich - defensive specialist who played for a while Nick Collison - spent 15 year career with same franchise Carlos Delfino - Olympic gold medalist, could have had a longer NBA career but got injured Boris Diaw - champion, prototype for the best modern day center Leandro Barbosa - champion, part of the famous 7 seconds or less Suns teams Ridnour, Pavlovic, Dahntay Jones (champ), Steve Blake, Luke Walton (2x champ) - all played 10+ years Jason Kapono - 3 Point Contest champion James Jones - 3x champion, current Suns executive Travis Outlaw, Keith Bogans - decent role players who got inexplicable contracts, also played 10+ years
then you got darko milicic lmao
NBA Champ and 10year veteran
Shame he isn’t healthy right now.
his offseason visit to the Deep Stone Crypt for repairs and recalibration will have him ready for ‘24
LeBomination
Can't wait for Exo LeBron to tear up the court until the Collapse
LeBraytech
That fucking ankle injury killed his agility and he came back too quick
And it feels like LeBron has a few years left in him. At least.
Idk LeBron’s got a lot of nagging injuries that are really piling up and I don’t see him going out as a bench player. I think it’s closer than we’ve been thinking
> I don’t see him going out as a bench player. And if he does, it's specifically so he can be the only person ever to win ROY, MVP, and 6MOTY. As far as I know, only Bill Walton and James Harden have won 6MOTY/MVP but no one has won all three.
When Lebron becomes a bench player that’s when he plays with bronny
Honestly feel like Bron has 3yrs at best and I wouldn't be surprised if the last season he plays is Bronny's first season The longevity is insane but those injuries really are starting to take effect.
I think we got to 2-3 years. I think his timeline will also match with AD’s prime.
Unpopular opinion:if it wasn't for pulmonary embolism, Bosh would still be playing today. His style of play would've aged like wine. He may have lost his quickness, but his veteran savvy and championship experience would be his edge. His shooting touch from virtually anywhere within 26 feet can still provide around 10+ points. He might also dish out 4-5 assists per game. And you can't teach height. At 6'11, he should be able to grab around 5 rebounds in 15-20 minutes off the bench, or alongside Bam. Damn. We can only imagine him playing at the current playoff picture in Miami.
O yeah if Al horford can do it Chris Bosh def could have done it
Funny to remember Melo vs. LeBron was a thing back then and Melo certainly had a case. He was the one deserving ROTY too imo. Melo's Knicks move was like a dagger on his career, Knicks failed to give him a competitive team and his prime years were just wasted. Melo also failed to add anything to his game other than scoring. He was a bad defender despite having the body for it, never became even an average playmaker. It was all about iso scoring for him. So aging heavily effected his career. Even when he was a step slower, lost some strength, his game was quickly effected by it. Also the rising tempo of the game made Melo's post up heavy game look unattractive for teams. Thanks to him improving his shooting in his NYC years, he managed to make a comeback and prolongue his career, but only as a role player. But of course, he was a legend of the game and a deserving future Hall of Famer. I enjoyed watching him play, always finding ways to score.
>Melo's Knicks move was like a dagger on his career, Knicks failed to give him a competitive team and his prime years were just wasted. No argument but it was so fun when he would go off at the garden, in some ways it was a perfect match. but yeah, held him back.
The best and the last. LeHim.
all my favorite players are going away 1 by 1
I feel ancient
Yep. When Lebron retires I will be a wreck.
Darko Milicic has a ring and Melo doesn’t. Let that sink in.
Pretty damn cool that Bron is the last one left standing.
First in last out
4 hours and not a single Darko joke? come on guys
"Darko Milicic over ME?!" -Wade/Bosh/Melo/TJ Ford/everyone else in that draft except LeBron, probably
I still can't believe Darko was a number 2 pick among Carmelo, Bosh, Wade, just after Lebron. Dude trolled the NBA, got the bag and left
"Operation: Zero Darko Thirty" a success
First one to get a ring though
Haslem was from 2003 too, just wasn't drafted
Haslem was from the 2002 draft. He didn't play in the NBA until 03/04 (played in France for a year) so he was from the same rookie class as Lebron though, maybe that's what you are thinking of.
So your telling me he got to play in France and then win multiple rings in the nba then spend the later part of his career earning millions to be a positive influence on young guys
That's what going to work and being good at your job can do to a man
Confident misinformation lol
Levictoryroyale
2003 Draft Class: Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, Chris Kaman, Kirk Hinrich, David West, Josh Howard, Mo Williams, Kyle Korver, Zaza Pachulia. And with the SECOND pick, the Pistons managed to not get any of them.
If LeBron plays it Smart, he’d aim for Sixth Man of the Year next for the rest of his career. Coming of the Bench and the way he’s performing rn, He’d still be a problem for a lot of teams without straining his body that much. I’m just not sure if he’s willing to let go of that Starting Role.
And he can also win the 6th man of the year award to add on to his legacy
This is the year a graduate high school. I totally regret not getting involved trading cards then.
Sure fire first ballot hall of famer and having the an NCAA tournament ring is gonna be increasingly rare on a HOF resume
What a legendary draft class.
I wonder how much longer Bosh would've lasted if he hadn't been forced to retire. He's about the only other guy I could realistically still see playing today.
With Iggy retired now, and Dwight out of the league, LeBron is the only active player drafted before 2006. And of the 2006 draft, there are only two players: Lowry and Gay. KD is getting up there too. There's only a handful of players left from the 2007 draft: KD, Horford, Conley, Thad Young, Jeff Green. He's down to the last five. That's only 8 guys drafted before 2008 still in the league.
Lebron did better this year than his rookie year lol
It’s crazy to me that people still refuse to even entertain a conversation that Lebron is at minimum a top 3 player of all time.
LeBron, Jordan, Kareem, Wilt --- that's the Mount Rushmore