In a recent appearance on “All the Smoke” podcast, former NBA point guard Mateen Cleaves explained the origins behind LeBron’s “Heaven Sent” nickname. Apparently, Cleaves thought of the name after watching LeBron’s supernatural dominance on the court during his rookie season.
Stephen Jackson: “What are your memories from LeBron’s rookie year?”
Mateen Cleaves: “Different. I gave him the nickname Heaven Sent. Like, God sent you. You don’t get that good so early, right out of the gate. I was like ‘Nah man he can’t be that good.’ He’s gonna be good in the league but sh*t man I’m in practice with this boy and I’m like whoo! He was the real deal. He knew it, he knew he had a great feel for it. Athletically, he could get where he wanted to get… that’s why I say heaven sent, simple. That’s what it is. You can’t practice and get that good.”
Former NBA guard Mateen Cleaves only played for six seasons in the NBA, and one with the Cavaliers. As a bench player for the Cavaliers in 2003-2004, Cleaves didn’t play a huge role in the rotation but he saw enough to see rookie LeBron in all his glory.
For even the greatest NBA superstars, it typically takes a few years before their game reaches elite status. For Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry, and countless other basketball legends, the transition to the pros was a long process that took years to complete.
The same is true for LeBron James, but he began with a pretty substantial head start. As a 6’9″ forward out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, James took the world by storm as a teenager with comparisons to Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and other NBA greats.
After getting drafted first overall in 2003, James never skipped a beat and started on day one playing up to the standards of an NBA All-Star. In 79 games that season, James averaged 20.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game on 41.7% shooting. He won Rookie of the Year for his efforts, narrowly beating Carmelo Anthony.
While the Cavaliers were unable to secure a playoff spot that year, they knew right away that they hit the jackpot with LeBron James and all of his teammates could see it. For a kid that young and inexperienced to shine so early on is a sign that he was destined for greatness and that’s exactly what it was. Even his teammates couldn’t help but envy his position.
Of course, the 2003-2004 campaign was just a taste of what was to come for King James, who has spent the past 20 years building up one of the greatest resumes in sports history. Today, as he enters his 22nd season, he stands as a 4x champion, 4x MVP, and 20x NBA All-Star.
Somehow, after two decades, LeBron James is still one of the best players on the planet and his impact is the only path to success for a Lakers team that has bent over backward to keep their star happy. He’s been a God-send for the franchise and the catalyst behind their recent success in the post-Kobe Bryant era.
Today, just like 20+ years ago, LeBron James is the hero of his team, and he still inspires the same awe and amazement in his teammates as he did while a rookie. The consistency is truly impressive for LeBron James and it’s arguably the best case he has for being the NBA GOAT.
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