On October 30, 2003, a hyped 18-year-old talent named LeBron James made his NBA debut with 25 points, six rebounds and nine assists as his Cleveland Cavaliers fell to the Sacramento Kings.
Michael Jordan, the most famous basketball player of all time, had retired at the end of the 2002/2003 season – and the NBA was ready for a new superstar.
The rest is, as they say, history.
Fast forward to today's date and LeBron is very much in the discussion about who is the best basketball player of all time.
And if he stays healthy for a little while longer, he will soon be the NBA's leading scorer ever.
After tonight's performance against Atlanta, he is only 528 points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record of 38,387 points (LeBron has 37,860).
Unstoppable at times
In total, James offered 47 points, ten rebounds and nine assists on his 38th birthday.
At times he looked completely unstoppable and a sequence that stays on the retina is from the third period.
LeBron then missed a lay-up, was outside the court line, but still managed to get back under the basket before three opponents, set the ball and got a free throw.
The packed arena in Atlanta could not help but applaud the player known as "King James".
- At the age of 18, I knew I was in the NBA, but not how good I could be.
However, I knew that if I continued to work hard, I could become one of the best players ever, he says.
"A joy to behold"
Teammate Russell Westbrook pays tribute to the team's, and the league's, fix star.
- He was completely focused.
He's capable of doing things at the highest level for a long time, we all know that, and it's a joy to watch.
James received a standing ovation as he left the field.
- For me, it's about mental preparation every day.
I want to know how good I can be, day by day, and there are so many roller coasters you have to get through.
Frustration, good times, bad times - I just try to stay calm and steady through it all.
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Killian Hayes knocked out Moe Wagner in tonight's NBA.
Photo: NBA Entertainment