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Cleveland Cavaliers: Top 10 NBA Draft picks in franchise history

By Frank Urbina

Jun 7, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) and guard Kyrie Irving (2) high-five during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors in game three of the 2017 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 7, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) and guard Kyrie Irving (2) high-five during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors in game three of the 2017 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /

1. LeBron James (SF) — No. 1 pick in 2003 NBA Draft

Career stats (with the Cavaliers):  767 GP, 27.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 7.1 APG, 1.6 STL, 0.8 BLK, 3.4 TOV, 48.6 FG%, 33.3 3P%, 73.3 FT%

No surprise at No. 1 — LeBron James easily receives the honor, as he would for 28 other teams. (Or maybe 29, depending on where you find yourself in the GOAT debate…though considering you’re reading this right now, I think I can surmise the answer to that.)

The Akron Hammer leads the Cavaliers in just about every major statistical category, so a more salient exercise is listing where he ranks statistically overall in league history. Through the 2017 season, James boasts the following accolades:

  • No. 1 in playoff points scored (6,163)
  • Most NBA Finals triple-doubles (9)
  • No. 7 in regular season points scored (28,787)
  • No. 12 in regular season assists (7,461)
  • Four-time MVP
  • Three-time NBA champion
  • Three-time NBA Finals MVP

Absolutely ridiculous numbers, from arguably the greatest talent the sport has ever seen.

Standing at 6’8″, weighing 250 pounds, with absurd explosiveness and dexterity — LeBron’s skill level for a man with his brute strength quite literally doesn’t make sense. As J.R. Smith said after Game 4 of the 2017 NBA Finals, it feels likelier that James was made in a lab by Gatorade than him actually being human.

Smith’s comment may seem hyperbolic, but in fairness to him, he did make the statement after James did this…

…in a freaking NBA Finals game.

Despite the fact that the transcendent small forward left for South Beach for four years of his prime, coming back and winnning a title for Cleveland more than made up any residual ill will those in Northeast Ohio may have felt.

Next: Miami Heat - Top 10 NBA Draft picks in franchise history

Before it’s all said and done, it’ll be fascinating to note how many Michael Jordan supporters will come to switch to James as the greatest basketball player of all time. He may continue to gain steam in the hotly contested debate, because it doesn’t appear the man from Akron will be slowing down anytime soon.

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