Back in 2003, when the sound of 50 Cent's voice was inescapable and Jay Bilas still had hair, the basketball world revolved around a young kid from Akron, Ohio.
Before he launched one of the most impressive careers in sports history, LeBron James was a star forward for St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. He won his third state championship during his senior season and was at the top of every recruiting list in the nation.
Of course, James didn't need to attend college. He already knew that he was a lock to be selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.
James' final chance to entertain a crowd as an amateur athlete came on March 26, 2003, when he participated in the McDonald's All-American Game.
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Remembering LeBron James in McDonald's All-American Game
It didn't take long for James to bring the fans inside Gund Arena to their feet.
Early in the first half, he caught an alley-oop pass from Chris Paul and threw down a one-handed slam dunk. He also showed off his preternatural passing ability with his own alley-oop dish to Charlie Villanueva.
"When your teammates get into it, we have a lot more fun out there because they feel like if the best player on the floor can get us the ball, we all can have some fun," James said during an in-game interview. "We're just trying to play a team game."
James called his own number more often in the second half, turning up the intensity and leading the East squad to a 122-107 win over the West team. He earned the MVP award after finishing with 27 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
"He continues to live up to his billing every time he steps onto the floor," Bilas said on the ESPN broadcast.
LeBron James wins McDonald's All-American Game Slam Dunk Contest
James took home another trophy by defeating a few future NBA players in the Powerade Jam Fest. He didn't need to create a game plan because none of the other competitors could match his raw athleticism and strength.
"I'm just gonna go off the top of the head," James said before the contest started. "Whatever comes to me before I'm about to do my performance, that's what I'm gonna use. I don't have nothing scripted out. I'm just gonna go off the top of the head, freestyle."
The soon-to-be Cavaliers rookie registered higher scores than Shannon Brown, J.R. Giddens and Von Wafer on his way to victory. He concluded the final round with an off-the-bounce reverse throwdown.
