LeBron James gave Shannon Brown his "Welcome to the NBA moment": "Bron came hit me with the shot fake and put his shoulder all in my rib cage"
The 25th pick in the 2006 draft, Shannon Brown, began his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers during a time when LeBron James was coming off his first postseason appearance. Putting the league on notice, the 6'9" forward took the first-seeded Detroit Pistons to a Game 7.
Despite all his efforts, the Cavaliers ended up with a second-round exit. Looking to make his rookie debut ahead of the 2006-07 season, Brown was a First-team Parade All-American and Illinois Mr. Basketball. The 6'4" guard was known for his explosive style of play on both ends.
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Making his NBA debut, Brown shuffled between the Cavaliers and their G-League affiliate. Playing 23 games in his rookie season, the Michigan State product showed glimpses of potential but remained inconsistent. His shin injury slowed his development as well.
Traded to the Chicago Bulls in 2008, Brown continued shuffling between the G-League and the NBA. However, fortunes turned for the Illinois native when he was traded to the Lakers in 2009. Initially, on a minute restriction, the veteran guard showed some spark, buying him more playing time during the playoffs. His L.A. stint earned him two championships alongside Kobe Bryant.
All this while, Shannon maintained his contact with LeBron, who would also visit him at his home in Chicago. Talking about competition and the relationship they shared, the two-time Lakers champion had the following to say.
"LeBron always been like a specimen to me. He always been supercool. He come to the crib, just chills when we're in Chicago, go to the condo, chill. We play video games," revealed Shannon, who played his last NBA game with the Miami Heat in 2014.
Welcome to the NBA moment via "King James"
Entering the league at the tender age of 18, James transitioned from a high school boy to a full-grown man in no time. The former Cavs rookie didn't waste time learning the ropes. So much so that he began handing players their "Welcome to the NBA moment" despite being only a few years into the league; one such player on the receiving end was Brown.
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"Practicing with that rookie squad, David West used to bust my a**. One time, Bron came hit me with the shot fake and put his shoulder all in my rib cage. I was like, 'Dang, that was a 'Welcome to the NBA moment."' I got to stay down on these shot fakes," stated the former Cavaliers guard.
Making the NBA Finals in his rookie season, Brown was a close witness to the peaking greatness of James. Though Bron struggled against a dominant Spurs team, he showed complete resilience. The Cavs superstar even earned his flowers from Tim Duncan, who told him how this was going to be his league after a while.
Related: Kyle Korver said Sixers players were desperate for Allen Iverson to leave the team in 2006: "We want it to be over… just want to move on"
Aging like fine wine
Soon to enter his 23rd season, Bron continues to play at a high level. Flipping the switch after the 2025 All-Star break, the 40-year-old averaged 24.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.3 steals on 50.5 percent shooting from the field. He led the Lakers to 50 wins and a third seed in the West.
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Sadly for the Lakers, James couldn't make it past the first round against the Timberwolves. Nevertheless, Lakers Nation could expect some big moves this off-season, along with Luka Doncic getting more time to adapt to his new setting. The front office must pull some more moves in order to have LeBron win their second title there after the 2020 Bubble championship.
Related: "If he came up with a cure for cancer, they would say, what about diabetes?" - Jamie Foxx agrees that LeBron's critics always find ways to hate on him
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