When LeBron James was an NBA rookie with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, current Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas coached “King James” as an assistant to his father, Paul Silas.
Now, almost 20 years later, James is a future Hall of Famer, arguably the greatest player in basketball history, and, as of late Tuesday, the league’s all-time scoring leader.
On Wednesday, prior to Houston’s home game versus Sacramento, Silas was asked whether he watched LeBron’s historic moment and if it stirred any memories from early in his coaching career. He replied:
I watched it. I watched the third quarter.
To be there for his first bucket … it was funny, because I was watching (on television) and they showed the first shot that he ever made. It was a baseline jumper right in front of our bench. I was there, scrunched between a couple people.
Just to see what he’s done in his career … He wasn’t even really a scorer when he first came in. I think he averaged like 20 (points) and whatever, but it was his passing, his size, his speed and all the other things. For him to be the leading scorer in NBA history, it was a really cool moment to see last night. The appreciation that he got is very warranted.
But I did think back to that first baseline jumper that he made. I was kind of proud to be a part of it.
James and his current team, the Los Angeles Lakers, will face the Rockets on Wednesday, March 15 in Houston.
#Rockets Head coach Stephen Silas on @KingJames record & having been there for his first NBA bucket.
(Silas was an assistant on that Cavs team.) pic.twitter.com/nSkUFDeHG5
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) February 8, 2023
