All-NBA teams in LeBron James’ rookie season: Here’s what the NBA looked like when the king arrived

The majority of those elected at that time have long since retired, the last of the 15 players ended his career in 2019. Now let’s take a look at all the nominees back then.

All-NBA Third Team

MICHAEL REDD (Guard)

• Team: Milwaukee Bucks
• The statistics: 21.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists at 44.0 percent FG and 35.0 percent threes (82 games)

Guards had a hard time at that time, hand checking was last allowed this season. So it’s not surprising that taller guards like Redd (nearly 2 meters) had certain advantages. It was the Bucks star’s best season, who later struggled a lot with discoveries.

BARON DAVIS (guard)

• Team: New-Orleans-Hornets
• The statistics: 22.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.4 steals at 39.5 percent FG and 32.1 percent threes (67 games)

Davis was more of the point guard of modern design, but rarely rejected consistency on the day. B-Diddy was a beefy, sometimes spectacular guard who may have come into the NBA a few years early. He should play better seasons for the Warriors, but later the competition in the small positions was much greater.

DIRK NOWITZKI (forward)

• Team: Dallas Mavericks
• The statistics: 21.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.4 blocks at 46.2 percent FG and 34.1 percent threes (77 games)

The voters cheated a bit here, because this season Nowitzki mainly played center – with variable success. The Dirkster put on ten pounds of muscle mass, but wasn’t as lively as in previous years. After the season it goes back to the four and Nowitzki’s scoring average would not be as low as 03/04 again until the year after the title.

RON ARTEST (forward)

• Team: Indiana Pacers
• The statistics: 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.1 steals at 42.1 percent FG and 31.0 percent threes (73 games)

Artest won Defenseman of the Year that season and also played an important offensive role on a Pacers team. With 61 wins this season, no team has won like Indiana, but they failed in the conference finals in an epic and ugly series against the Detroit Pistons.

YAO MING (Mitte)

• Team: Houston-Raketen
• The statistics: 17.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.9 blocks at 52.2 percent FG (82 games)

Yes, the center position had thinned out during that time, but it was a mark of class that Yao was on the All-NBA team in his second season. That should also dispel the myth that the Chinese only attended the All-Star Game early because of the fans. No, Yao Ming was an all-star center after just a few games – until the realization came…

Second All-NBA Team

TRACY MCGRADY (Wache)

• Team: Orlando-Magie
• The statistics: 28.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists at 41.7 percent FG and 33.9 percent threes (67 games)

McGrady’s nomination can be seen as an absolute exception. The Magic won just 21 games, and no team had fewer wins under their belt. T-Mac could switch and rule as he wanted. It’s no coincidence that his career high of 62 points falls this season.

SAM CASSELL (Wache)

• Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
• The statistics: 19.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists at 48.8 percent FG and 39.8 percent threes (81 games)

At the tender age of 34, Cassell became an All-Star for the first time and was just nominated for the All-NBA team, the latter of which should be a record. It just fitted alongside Kevin Garnett and Latrell Sprewell, as Wolves marched into the Conference Finals for the only time in their franchise history.

PEJA STOJAKOVIC (Stürmer)

• Team: Sacramento Kings
• The statistics: 24.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists at 48.0 percent FG and 43.3 percent threes (81 games)

Stojakovic is another “flash in the pan” on the All-NBA team. The Serb prevented a career high in points and even finished fourth in the MVP voting after Kings superstar Chris Webber was out for almost the entire year with a knee injury. Stojakovic also managed a rare double: He was among the top three in the league for both three-point attempts (6.8) and the three-point quota (43.3 percent).

JERMAINE O’NEAL (forward)

• Team: Indiana Pacers
• The statistics: 20.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.6 blocks at 43.4 percent FG (78 games)

O’Neal is better remembered as a fiver, but back then the all-star was still playing alongside center Jeff Foster. Times were different. While O’Neal wasn’t a Hall of Famer like Nowitzki, Garnett or Duncan, from an extremely deep power-forward position he was definitively considered among the elite and a 20/10 machine.

BEN WALLACE (Mitte)

• Team: Detroit piston
• The statistics: 9.5 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.0 blocks at 42.1 percent FG (74 games)

Big Ben at the height of his career, even as he missed his third Defensive Player of the Year award. He didn’t have to either, he proved it in the finals when he prevented Shaq from being chained. Incidentally, 9.5 points per game was the second-best scoring season of his career.

All-NBA First Team

JASON KIDD (Wache)

• Team: New Jersey Nets
• The statistics: 15.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 9.2 assists at 38.4 percent FG and 32.1 percent three-pointers

As late as the summer, Kidd flirted with a move to San Antonio, but ultimately stayed with the Nets (99 million reasons for six years). The playmaker once again led the league in assists, but two consecutive finals saw the changing of the guard in the East, which Kidd couldn’t do anything about. Detroit was the new sheriff.

KOBE BRYANT (Wache)

• Team: Los Angeles Lakers
• The statistics: 24.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists at 43.8 percent FG and 32.7 percent threes (65 games)

Looking back, it’s surprising that Kobe was selected to the All-First Team for the third year in a row. Shortly before the start of the season, Bryant was arrested on suspicion of rape and missed 17 games due to numerous court appearances. His numbers and ratings also collapsed, but the voters still had enough (Bryant also made it onto the all-defensive team, or were the votes for his lawyers?).

KEVIN GARNETT (forward)

• Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
• The statistics: 24.2 points, 13.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.2 blocks at 49.9 percent FG and 25.6 percent threes (82 games)

It shouldn’t get any better for KG in Minny. The Big Ticket finally had support in Cassell and Latrell Sprewell and promptly Wolves finished first in the West. KG scored, defended, made the game – and even gave up the point guard in the conference finals due to. That was Prime KG.

TIM DUNCAN (Forward)

• Team: san antonio spurs
• The statistics: 22.3 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.7 blocks at 50.1 percent FG (69 games)

The Twin Towers were history, David Robinson in his well-deserved retirement. Duncan suddenly had more responsibility than ever before, leading another staid Spurs side to 57 wins. However, Parker and Ginobil have already shown that they are a force to be reckoned with in the future. Interesting: Prime Duncan doesn’t make the All-Defensive First Team, but teammate Bruce Bowen does.

SHAQUILLE O’NEAL (Mitte)

• Team: Los Angeles Lakers
• The statistics: 21.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks at 58.4 percent FG (67 games)

It’s been a season of mayhem in LaLa land. Shaq wanted a contract, Kobe publicly counted out new Shaq due to his preseason fitness. And Shaq scored his worst ever over a season. It was to be the diesel’s final season in Los Angeles, which was traded to Miami the following offseason.