“LeBron James ain’t nothing but 16 years old, he’s gonna play 40 minutes”: The absolute irony in Allen Iverson going at ‘The King’ at his first All-Star Game

LeBron James and Allen Iverson interact during the 2005 NBA All-Star Game with the latter telling James he’s 16 years old. 

LeBron James came into the league as perhaps the most hyped prospect in the history of the league. What makes it even incredible is that he came straight out of high school as the number one overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. Straight out the gate, it was apparent that James was going to live up to the ‘Chosen One’ hype. 

In merely his second season in the NBA, the SV-SM graduate made his first All-Star team. His fellow 2003 draftee and close friend, Dwyane Wade, would also be named an All-Star this season.

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James most certainly deserved his ASG nod that season as he averaged his standard career averages, putting up 27.2 points, dishing out 7.2 assists, and grabbing 7.4 rebounds. He led the Cleveland Cavaliers to 42 wins that season, 25 more than two seasons prior. 

Of course, making the All-Star team for the time means interacting with players in the league that have already established themselves as All-Stars in the league. One of these people for James would be Allen Iverson. 

Allen Iverson calls LeBron James 16 years old at the 2005 All-star Game. 

The 2005 NBA All-Star Game shockingly did not see a single player notch more than 17 total points. Ray Allen led the West with 17 points while Allen Iverson had a 15 while also posting up 7 turnovers.

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Prior to the game, AI spoke with the first time All-Star, LeBron James, and hilariously called him out for being ridiculously young in comparison to various other superstars in the league. With him being that young, Iverson hilariously told him that he will have to play 40 minutes that night in Denver and win MVP. 

The irony in these statements that not only did Allen Iverson lead the East in minutes played with 31:50 (James trailed with 31:25) but he did so while winning ASG MVP, something he told James would do. LeBron also scored two less points that AI, having 13 as the East beat the West, 125-115 that night.