In between the constant booing when David Stern came to the podium at the NBA draft on Thursday night, you could actually make out a couple of cheers. For the most part, you had to listen carefully. You did not, however, have to turn up your hearing aid to hear the “USA! USA!” chants that the fans in the green room showered Florida State center Bernard James with when he was selected by the Cavaliers 34th overall.
James is easily one of the best stories of the draft. At age 27, he was the oldest player in the draft after having served six years in the United States Air Force before attending school. A number of players tumble down the board every year because of character issues, but Cleveland certainly knows they won’t have to deal with any of that with this pick. After Thursday night, it’s officially safe to say James has accomplished more in the last decade than most people will in their lifetime.
