David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty ImagesLeBron James said not all of his Cleveland Cavaliers teammates were supportive of him during his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2003-04.
When Mind the Game Pod co-host JJ Redick asked James if he had to deal with people who weren't celebrating him and "wanted to kick your ass" during his rookie season, James answered, "My teammates for sure."
"There's video evidence of my teammates basically saying, like, 'He's not ready,' or, 'There's somebody playing his position,' or, 'We're not putting all our faith in an 18-year-old kid,'" James said on Wednesday's episode of the podcast.
"Teammates that I had to be on the floor with, practicing with, on the planes with, in the locker room, in game situations, had this kind of—you don't want to say hate, but had this kind of animosity towards me, and what I could provide."
James continued: "I came in with the narrative, but I didn't come in with that type of aura. I just wanted to come in and learn from the vets and then put the work in."
Several Cavaliers players openly expressed doubt about James' rookie year success, both before the 2003 NBA Draft and after he had established himself as an NBA star.
Former Cavaliers forward Carlos Boozer told reporters before the draft that Cleveland had "better players than him in his position already on our team."
Former Cleveland guard Ricky Davis then said on the Rich Eisen Show in 2017: "There's a difference between being great and learning the NBA game. Him coming in at an early age, I don't think he was ready in his rookie year as he is now."
James still went on to play 39.5 minutes per night while averaging 20.9 points his rookie season, although that would prove to be a career low.
In 20 seasons since then, James has never averaged fewer than 25 points per night—and apparently never forgotten the doubts expressed by his former Cavaliers teammates about his first year in the league.
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