When LeBron James entered the NBA, he brought with him unprecedented hype and sky-high expectations. His journey in basketball has solidified his status as one of the greatest players to ever grace the hardwood, often sparking debates about his place in the sport’s history alongside legends like Michael Jordan.
However, four-time NBA champion John Salley had a rather unconventional take on the matter during LeBron’s early days in the league. Salley recently revealed that he once believed Carmelo Anthony, not James, should have been the coveted No. 1 pick in the draft.
“LeBron was an incredible phenom, and I literally apologized to LeBron because I thought that Carmelo Anthony should have been the number #1 pick,” Salley told Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson. “I love Carmelo, but LeBron proved to be The King, and I was like, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. Maybe I should’ve waited and saw him [LeBron].'”
