King James Turns 21

The only reminder of it is when you hear an anecdote like first-year Cleveland Coach Mike Brown8217;s memory of a phone call he made to the 20-year-old James last summer, shortly after being named the Cavaliers8217; new head coach.

When Brown suggested that he and James spend some quality time together away from basketball, just to get to know each other, the outing James happily suggested made Brown laugh.

8216;8216;LeBron invited me to go to an amusement park,8217;8217; Brown said with a smile Tuesday night. 8216;8216;And that8217;s what we did. If you think it about it, it makes perfect sense. Where else would someone his age and his buddies want to go?8217;8217;

Well, funny Brown should ask. Just over two seasons into his NBA career, the most arresting thing about James isn8217;t merely his precocious talent. It8217;s that he seems neither consumed by the hype surrounding him nor scorched by it 8212; and yet still somehow capable of simultaneously finding a way to chase his enormous ambition.

James doesn8217;t even turn 21 until Friday and yet he8217;s never gone through one of those young buck, go-wild phases where he had to prove to the world he could hang up 50 points whenever he wanted to, same as Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson all had to get out of their system.

James could8217;ve long ago fallen in love with his rim-rattling dunks like Carter did during his Toronto years. But for Carter, there was no memorable achievement beyond the flash, no seething insistence on taking a team on his shoulders or sullenly judging himself only on wins.

James came into the league determined to play a beautifully measured game, and he8217;s only gotten better at it.

Tuesday night, James8217; 31 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists came so completely in the flow of the game. He has always been the best player on his teams, but unlike a lot of superstars he developed a corresponding generosity, an understanding that it would be smarter to make his less-gifted teammates better rather than fuming at them because they8217;re not.

In ways big and small, he isn8217;t the second coming of Michael or Magic. He has more in common with Tiger Woods, his fellow birthday boy, than anyone who8217;s come along in the NBA.

When asked last night how James planned to celebrate his 21st birthday on Friday, Randy Mims, his personal assistant, answered: 8216;8216;Get home early, get some rest. He8217;s got a game the next day.8217;8217;

LA TIMES-WASHINGTON POST