Imagine LeBron instead of Tim!

[lotr1trekkie]

Imagine if Lebron came out in 1999 in the same draft as Tim. The Spurs would have drafted him first, right? No?
Who drafted #2 and who did they get?

How would Spurs' and NBA history have changed?

My gut says SA has no titles, Pop is a wine magnet in CA and Manu and Tony never play for us.

Hoping the Madonna will also announce her next marriage on ESPN!

[poop]

pretty much. LeJohn will never win shit until he accepts second fiddle.

[alchemist]

Dave/Pop/Avery would've bumped heads with LeKing. Lebron is tremendous talent though so who knows how that would've turned out.

[xellos88330]

Hard to tell really. I think Pop could have brought LeBron down to earth really quick. Another thing is the influence of David Robinson. He will be going to a team that features one of the greatest players to ever play and will only be the sidekick.

If he had just had solid mentoring that the Spurs seem to be able to provide, the chances are great that he wouldn't be such an ego maniac. He was instead drafted by a team that was a far cry from the good teams in the clubs past, and built up to be a savior. Well.... look at the savior now.

[Mel_13]

Imagine if Lebron came out in 1999 in the same draft as Tim. The Spurs would have drafted him first, right? No?
Who drafted #2 and who did they get?

How would Spurs' and NBA history have changed?

My gut says SA has no titles, Pop is a wine magnet in CA and Manu and Tony never play for us.

Hoping the Madonna will also announce her next marriage on ESPN!

Tim came out in 1997. Keith van Horn was #2 and Chauncey was #3.

[Obstructed_View]

Spurs would have drafted a four year guy out of college over a high school kid any day of the week. Lebron wasn't even a slam dunk number one pick the year he came out. The only player in the last 35 years that would have gone before Duncan was Shaq, and there probably would have been debate over that choice.

[benefactor]

I'd rather not.

[Kindergarten Cop]

Lebron wasn't even a slam dunk number one pick the year he came out.

:wow

I certainly remember otherwise.

[bdictjames]

Melo led the Orangemen to the championship in his first year. It wasn't really a slam dunk, I agree with OV.

[Kindergarten Cop]

Melo led the Orangemen to the championship in his first year. It wasn't really a slam dunk, I agree with OV.

Don't get me wrong, that was arguably one of the best draft classes in NBA history - but there was a reason it was coined the "LeBron Lottery" (at least from what I remember).

[Stump]

Fun fact, Michael Jordan was drafted third overall after Sam Bowie and Akeem Olajuwon. Even though MJ was a sure thing to be a super star (pretty much) the Rockets and Blazers went after the two 7 footers for the reason I explained in the Josh Smith trade, the best front court teams win the championships.

So in short the Spurs would go after Tim Duncan instead of LeBron mainly because Tim Duncan was that great big man.
This. Not to mention Duncan was older and could help a franchise with an aging Robinson win now.

[English teacher]

"magnet"

:lol

[DAF86]

Lebron would be in Orlando right now.

[Obstructed_View]

Don't get me wrong, that was arguably one of the best draft classes in NBA history - but there was a reason it was coined the "LeBron Lottery" (at least from what I remember).

No you definitely have a point, and you remember it correctly. But in basketball circles I seem to remember that there were a lot of questions about him since he didn't play in college and nobody was sure if he could make the transition, at least right away. If it had been anyone other than the Cavs there might have been more discussion about Carmelo or even Milicic. Every team in the NBA would have picked Duncan or Shaq. If Lebron had played a season in college he'd have probably been at that same level.

[gospursgojas]

Cmon...There was no doubt Lebron was going number 1 in 03.

Especially when Cleveland won the right to pick first

[gospursgojas]

No you definitely have a point, and you remember it correctly. But in basketball circles I seem to remember that there were a lot of questions about him since he didn't play in college and nobody was sure if he could make the transition, at least right away. If it had been anyone other than the Cavs there might have been more discussion about Carmelo or even Milicic. Every team in the NBA would have picked Duncan or Shaq. If Lebron had played a season in college he'd have probably been at that same level.

LOL darko. Bigger question maybe what if Detroit selected Melo

[ezau]

The thing about about the Darko selection is that yes he was big, but he was far from being great. IMHO, he's kinda like the white version of Hasheem Thabeet.

[JamStone]

If LeBron was in the 1997 NBA Draft, the Spurs still would have chosen Duncan.

But I believe if Duncan was in the 2003 NBA Draft, LeBron would have still been the #1 overall pick.

That make sense? In just those 6 short years, the dynamics of draft selection changed, even at the top of the draft. With the success of KG and Kobe and T-Mac, more and more NBA GMs were willing to take gambles high in the draft on younger, less proven players based on pure talent and potential. A guy like Duncan in 2003 who went to 4 college 4 years, regardless of how dominating he was, wasn't completely a good thing in terms of having untapped potential. Duncan would obviously still go high, but LeBronmania in the 2003 NBA Draft would still push "most" NBA GMs to select him first. I really believe that.

[Chieflion]

If LeBron was in the 1999 NBA Draft, the Spurs still would have chosen Duncan.

But I believe if Duncan was in the 2003 NBA Draft, LeBron would have still been the #1 overall pick.

That make sense? In just those 6 short years, the dynamics of draft selection changed, even at the top of the draft. With the success of KG and Kobe and T-Mac, more and more NBA GMs were willing to take gambles high in the draft on younger, less proven players based on pure talent and potential. A guy like Duncan in 2003 who went to 4 college 4 years, regardless of how dominating he was, wasn't completely a good thing in terms of having untapped potential. Duncan would obviously still go high, but LeBronmania in the 2003 NBA Draft would still push "most" NBA GMs to select him first. I really believe that.
Jam, if LeBron was in the 1999 draft, the Spurs wouldn't be in position to pick him.

[JamStone]

Edited before your post. Did not even register as an edit.

Sorry pal. Too slow.

[Cane]

Basketball's a big man's game and David Robinson was declining, I think the Spurs go for Duncan in such a "Lebron or Duncan" scenario....although an 18 year old Lebron James is by no means a bad pick and perfectly reasonable as well. Duncan's a better fit though since they were an incredible duo and you generally need to secure the paint to win championships, plus there was Shaq to worry about.

[greyforest]

duncan for lebron, lets do it