05-05-2009

2 Comments »

Photo Recap From the Coronation. The Chosen One Earns his Place at the Top. »

Here are some new facts about our 2008/09 NBA MVP. James, at 24 years and 125 days old, became the youngest MVP ever voted the award by sportswriters and broadcasters (who have been at it since the 1980-81 season). Only five-time MVP Michael Jordan was nearly as precocious, winning his first at the age of 25 in 1988. Also, he became the seventh player since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976 to earn rookie of the year and MVP honors in a career. He started a career-high 81 games and set personal bests in field-goal (49) and free-throw (79) percentages as well as blocks (93). James became the second player to post five straight seasons of at least 27 points, six rebounds and six assists. The other is Robertson, whose versatile game is the one to which James’ is most often compared. How good were the Cavaliers this season when LeBron was at his best? They were brutally, ruthlessly efficient. In the 81 games he played, he sat out 14 fourth quarters because the leads he helped build through the first three quarters were big enough that James – and a few of the other starters – could take the final 12 minutes off. View more photos from yesterday’s conference held at SVSM High School in Akron.

Photos Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE via Getty Images. Photos by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images.