In more than two decades spent in the NBA, LeBron James has never stood out for his propensity to trash-talk his opponents. In his professional debut, however, he was much more vocal and was particularly provocative against one of the best defenders in the world during his rookie years.

Seeing Victor Wembanyama break everything for his first steps on the NBA floor, some will surely have been treated to a big dose of nostalgia. Because few rookies have dominated like this in recent decades… apart from a certain LeBron James . Drafted by the Cavs in 2003 out of high school, the winger didn’t take long to make everyone agree on his talent for the orange ball:

The brilliant trash-talking of a LeBron rookie against Ron Artest

20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists on average, a Rookie of the Year title and already highlights that you no longer know what to do with: the one who was then already nicknamed the Chosen One had immediately taken the big league by storm and more than 20 years later, he is still the main headliner. Metta Sandiford-Artest also remembers very well the first time he faced him on his own turf:

When Bron came into the league, his first game at Indiana – I was so pissed – he threw 25 points in my face. Then he went to our fans and asked them: “Is this your best defender?” » I heard that and I was furious.

As a reminder, the man who was then called Ron Artest was DPOY in 2003-04. So he wasn’t an average defender and yet LBJ immediately dominated him as if nothing had happened. All while doing superb trash-talking, which is not his habit! At a time when his critics claim he has never scared anyone , this statement from another time is worth gold to his fans.

“No one is afraid of LeBron”

Ron Artest took care of the best attackers in the league during LeBron James’ rookie season, but it wasn’t enough to stop the young King from doing whatever he wanted. And the challenge he then threw at Pacers fans still resonates today as a prophecy of his unchallenged domination in the NBA.