2003 SP Authentic Dual LeBron James Carmelo Anthony ROOKIE AUTO BGS 9.5 GEM MINT

LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony may be forever linked through the legendary 2003 rookie class, but their bond originated well before they heard their names called on draft night. In early 2002, LeBron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary High School met Anthony’s Oak Hill Academy in a prime-time matchup that pitted the two best high school prospects in the nation against one another. This was in the days before social media, so while each teen had heard plenty of talk about the other, they had never actually met. But as soon as the two young stars crossed paths in their hotel, their connection was immediate. “We sat on the steps for hours the night before the game — like, I don't know nothing about you, you don't know nothing about me,” Anthony revealed. “We sat there for hours, just kicking it, just talking. We clicked from that moment. We just felt like we had similar backgrounds: single-parent home, broken family, growing up in the hood. That was a similar story. So we connected off of that before basketball.""

Bron and Melo put on a show the next night, with James posting 36-8-5 to Anthony’s 34 points, 11 rebounds, and the win. A year later, LeBron and Carmelo went first and third, respectively, in the 2003 NBA Draft, marking the moment two friends began their journey toward immortality. Though both men would not join forces on the court until Anthony signed with the Lakers for the 2021-22 season, this 2003 SP Authentic Dual Rookie Auto marks the very first pairing of these NBA icons. With a BGS 9.5 population of just three, this is a card worthy of a lifetime connection.

[storytimewithunclebill]

Awesome card. Was fun to watch. Great video