AP Was There: LeBron James tops ritzy 2003 NBA draft

A ritzy draft happens with 18-year-old phenom LeBron James 스보벳  picked No. 1. Carmelo Anthony is picked No. 3 followed by Chris Bosh at No. 4 and Dwyane Wade at No. 5. The Detroit Pistons scandalously accepts Darko Milicic as the No. 2 generally pick. James is the most proclaimed secondary school player of an age . He is considered a can't-miss prospect with the abilities of a gatekeeper, the body of a forward and the capability of a genius. Milicic is the first of a record 21 global picks. The Associated Press is republishing word for word the tale of the 2003 NBA draft on June 26, 2003.

AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK - LeBron James stepped in front of an audience wearing an all-white suit, proper attire for a player expected to be the hero of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

James, the 18-year-old prep phenom from Akron, Ohio, was the No. 1 decision in the NBA draft Thursday night. He embraced his representative, Aaron Goodwin, then, at that point, turned and did likewise to his mom, Gloria, prior to pulling on a Cavaliers cap and respectfully acknowledging magistrate David Stern.

"I simply think I look very great in all white," said James, whose suit was hand crafted by a Charlotte style creator. "My person made it for myself and said he'd make the best suit in the draft."

The most proclaimed secondary school player of an age, James is considered a can't-miss prospect with the abilities of a gatekeeper, the body of a forward and the capability of a whiz.

James went to the crowd and radiated a wide grin, albeit the unruly group at Madison Square Garden didn't by and large hug him. Many fans were at that point caught up with reciting "Fire Lay-sanctum" - a reference to head supervisor Scott Layden of the old neighborhood Knicks.

"I'm one of the greatest plugged players in the nation at the present time, and I haven't played one round of ball in the NBA. I know I'm an undeniable man," James said.

Serbian 7-footer Darko Milicic was picked second by the Detroit Pistons, the first of a record 21 worldwide picks.

Carmelo Anthony, who drove Syracuse to the public title, was picked third by the Denver Nuggets - covering the show less initial 15 minutes.

The Toronto Raptors, subsequent to paying attention to exchange offers over the course of the day, utilized the No. 4 single out 6-foot-11 first year recruit forward Chris Bosh of Georgia Tech. "Being picked so high is a positive honor. You generally trust," Bosh said. "I'm cheerful it's finished."

Miami then, at that point, went for Marquette junior watchman Dwyane Wade.

The night's first of seven exchanges came around an hour and a half after James was picked, with Memphis sending the privileges to the thirteenth pick, Marcus Banks of UNLV, and the 27th pick (Kendrick Perkins of Beaumont, Tex.) to the Boston Celtics for the freedoms to picks 16 (Troy Bell of Boston College) and 20 (Dahntay Jones of Duke).

"We got two players from an athletic angle who were at the first spot on the list of the multitude of players in the draft," Grizzlies president Jerry West said. "We are exceptionally amped up for what we did."

San Antonio later exchanged the 28th pick, Brazilian point monitor Leandro Barbosa, to Phoenix for a future first-round pick. There were five arrangements including second round picks.

Focal Michigan community Chris Kaman, a 7-footer who arrived at the midpoint of 22.4 focuses last season as a lesser, went 6th to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Two groups with point monitor issues grabbed the two top of the line playmakers next.

Kirk Hinrich of Kansas was the primary school higher 윈윈벳 ranking than be chosen, going seventh to Chicago. The Bulls will probably be without Jay Williams, the subsequent generally pick of last year's draft, for at minimum a year after he broke his leg in a cruiser mishap last end of the week.

T.J. Portage of Texas, victor of the Naismith and Wooden honors, went at No. 8 to the Milwaukee Bucks - a potential sign that the establishment expects direct watchman Gary Payton toward leave as a free specialist over the late spring.

"Sam Cassell is an incredible player I followed all through my life. In the event that they re-sign Gary Payton, I'll gain from two of the best in the NBA," Ford said.

The "Fire Lay-sanctum" drones started again before the Knicks chose Georgetown power forward Michael Sweetney - a decision that brought a blended response from a sectarian group that was on its feet as Stern declared the choice.

"They called out to me and they supported me, and that caused me to feel genuinely cheerful," said Sweetney, who will be the fifth power forward on New York's program.

The group went crazy when the Knicks utilized the main pick of the second round on Polish place Maciej Lampe, who was viewed as a potential lottery pick in the days paving the way to the draft.

Jarvis Hayes of Georgia went tenth to the Washington Wizards, who moved out of their Michael Jordan time by naming Eddie Jordan lead trainer last week and marking Jerry Stackhouse to a two-year agreement expansion prior Thursday. Mickael Pietrus, a 6-6 swingman from France, was the second of a record nine worldwide players taken in the first round, going eleventh to the Golden State Warriors.

Scratch Collison of Kansas, the second-driving scorer in school history behind Danny Manning, went twelfth to the Seattle SuperSonics - the main group with two of the best 14 picks.

After Memphis chose Banks, Seattle utilized its second single out Oregon point monitor Luke Ridnour, and Orlando selected Louisville's Reece Gaines at No. 15 - the fifth point monitor determination of the round.

School player of the year David West of Xavier went to the New Orleans Hornets at No. 18, potential protection on the off chance that free specialist P.J. 

 Earthy colored signs somewhere else this mid year.

Serbian colleagues Zarko Cabarkapa (seventeenth, Phoenix) and Aleksandar Pavlovic (nineteenth, Utah) from Buducnost broke the best 20, while a third player from that club - 7-foot-4 focus Slavko Vranes trusted that his name will be called. The Knicks in the end took him 39th.

Boris Diaw of France went at No. 21 to Atlanta, and Croatia's Zoran Planinic went close to New Jersey. At No. 25, the Detroit Pistons took Argentina's Carlos Delfino, who played last season for Kinder Bologna of Italy.

Secondary school seniors went 26th (Ndudi Ebi of Houston to the Minnesota Timberwolves) and 27th (Perkins).

Prominent second-round determinations incorporated Arizona's Luke Walton, the child of Bill Walton, going 32nd to the Lakers, Greek teen Sofoklis Schortsinitis going 34th to the Clippers and Washington taking Maryland watch Steve Blake 38th. China's Xue Yuyang went to Dallas for the benefit of Denver with the close to-last pick.

Milwaukee managed the 43rd pick, Kentucky's Keith Bogans, to Orlando for cash. Toronto gained Florida's Matt Bonner, the No. 45 pick, from Chicago briefly round draft pick.

New Jersey exchanged the option to Creighton's Kyle Korver, the 51st pick, to Philadelphia for cash. The Sixers likewise sent cash and the privileges to No. 50 pick Paccelis Morlende to Seattle for No. 41 pick Willie Green of Detroit Mercy.