LeBron James shares brutally honest first impression of the Cavaliers

LeBron James is used to accolades and championships, but even he has encountered his share of lows.

James led St. Vincent-St Mary High School to three state championships. He became a national phenom, attracting widespread media attention and accolades, including being named Ohio's Mr. Basketball three times and Gatorade National Player of the Year twice.

In fact, throughout his time in High School, James recorded only six losses in four years, one of which was a forfeit. It’s safe to say that all James, along with St Vincent-St Mary, did was win. 

Akron, Ohio’s favorite son, was destined to be a Cleveland Cavalier; it was written in the stars. And it became a reality in 2003, during one of the most anticipated NBA Drafts in history, when the Cavs selected James with the No. 1 overall pick.

James had lofty goals; he wouldn’t rest until he brought a championship to Cleveland, and even though, in 2016, that goal was realized, to begin with, it was seen as overly ambitious.

But James was steadfast in his belief. That was until his rookie season actually began, and he encountered the real world.

Sure, James posted solid numbers in his rookie year, averaging 20.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds, en route to becoming the youngest NBA Rookie of the Year. Still, those numbers and accolades mean nothing unless you deliver success.

Cleveland finished with a 35-47 record and missed the boat for the Playoffs. For James, he learned a lot after his first year in the league.

But his rookie year, he will always look back on as an experience where he was “weirded out.”