LeBron Who?

By Brian Betz

The Los Angeles Lakers have fallen. The world can rejoice. And I'm starting to enjoy the NBA again.

There'll be a new champ for the first time since MJ pushed off of Bryon Russell (lockout season doesn't count).

But that's not why I'm back on board.

It has to do with the lottery. Thirteen teams but only one King James. Or so the story goes.

But I'm not "LeBuying" that LeBron James is the one and only one.

Land yourself in the top three. That's what I'm saying.

Carmello Anthony and Darko Milicic are both legitimate No. 1 picks.

Anthony led Syracuse this past season as a freshman, lighting up the Big East before leading the Orangemen to the NCAA Championship. His versatile low post/perimeter abilities torched the nation's best, capped by a combined 53 points and 24 rebounds in the two final four games. And he smiled every time down the court. You've got to love that.

Then there's Milicic, a seven-foot power forward from Yugoslavia. But don't let the "power" label fool you. The17-year old Milicic is heralded for having fluid low-post moves with the sharpshooting ability of Dirk Nowitzki. Scary.

He's arguably more proven than the others as well, coming from a place where being over six feet at age 15 is common. This isn't to say height guarantees skills, but it helps.

In five years, the team that passes on LeBron James may look like the butt of the NBA. But consider that he's spent his entire career playing against pimply teenagers, or participating in all-star games where six-steps is traveling and defense is non-existent.

If you go by the odds, the Nuggets or the Cavaliers should land the No. 1 pick. Unless the Knicks (and the league) should fix it to get James into the nation's biggest sports market, New York.

In which case you never heard me say I liked the NBA.