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Tickets at Ticket Master
LeBron. Darko. Carmelo.
A prep-to-pros phenom. A 7-foot European. A Final Four hero.
Three distinct players, each with a catchy one-word moniker and out-of-this-world potential.
Rookies LeBron James of the Cavaliers, Darko Milicic of the Pistons and Carmelo Anthony of the Nuggets are more than just an intriguing subplot as NBA training camps open this week.
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In some ways, these three players who were selected 1-2-3 in last June's Draft
represent a changing of the guard in the NBA.
With the retirement of Michael Jordan, David Robinson and John Stockton -- not to mention the Kobe Bryant sexual assault ticketmaster case -- the NBA's need for a breath of fresh air has never been greater.
"I think the last year, the NBA ratings have been a little down, and I think our class is going to help bring them back up," James said at the league's rookie orientation camp last week. "I think we can bring some more excitement and more joy like when Michael Jordan was playing."
Not since the Class of '92 -- led by Shaq, Alonzo Mourning and Christian Laettner -- has the NBA welcomed a more-anticipated trio than this. Some even go back further, to a day when this year's group wasn't even born. "It reminds me of [1982] when we had James Worthy, Terry Cummings and Dominique Wilkins all coming in together," NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik said. "I think that bodes very well."
While it remains to be seen whether LeBron, Darko and Carmelo will turn out to be as good, the three young stars at least bring that kind of anticipation.
James, in particular, seems to have captured America's imagination. The 6-foot-8 forward from Akron, Ohio, already has signed a $90 million endorsement deal from Nike. Cavs tickets have become among the ticketmaster hottest in the league, and his No. 23 jersey (same as Jordan) is flying off the shelves.
James also thus far has demonstrated a remarkable ability to handle the hype. Confident but not arrogant, the 18-year-old has faced the demands of his position without alienating coaches or teammates. He's even accepted the traditional rookie hazing rituals, such as bringing doughnuts for his veteran teammates before practice.
"Krispy Kremes," James said with a smile, before taking advantage of a chance to joke about his newfound riches. "[The veterans] told me to build [a store] in the locker room."
While Anthony and Milicic have created far less buzz nationwide so far, they face huge expectations as well. Anthony, who led Syracuse to last spring's NCAA championship, is being counted on to step in immediately as the go-to guy for the rebuilding Nuggets. Milicic, a 7-foot lefty, will be given a chance to chip in off the bench for a Pistons team some are picking to reach the NBA Finals.
"They want me to be the go-to guy," says Anthony, who could be the favorite for Rookie of the Year and is every bit as confident as James. "I know ticketmaster there's a lot of pressure, but I'm going to just go out and play my game."
LeBron. Darko. Carmelo.
Will they turn out to be as good as Shaq, Zo and Laettner? Or Big Game, TC and 'Nique?
NBA fans can't
wait to find out.