The two rookies are rivals on the court but remain friends off the court.

Last week I talked about the influence that media has on affecting the point of view fans hold about specific topics. That same influence effects the popularity of specific sports and in Canada, excluding Toronto, the NBA fits in somewhere between Curling and the New Westminster Dog show on the popularity scale. Let's just say basketball is about as popular as a J.D. Drew visit to Philadelphia. Regardless there is a sports story this year that is so compelling that it deserves prominence. It ranks up there with the terrific MLB playoffs, the Kobe Bryant case, the surprise playoff performers Marlins and Mighty Ducks and of course Jon Gruden coaching the Bucs past his old team in the Super Bowl. The emergence of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony may very well be the biggest sports story of the year.

	One of the hottest jerseys of the year.

If you needed any further proof to the popularity of the two rookie phenoms you had to look no further then the release last week of the individual NBA jersey sales. LeBron and Carmelo rank 1-2 in jersey sales, ahead of the likes of Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant. While LeBron has the top selling jersey thus far, Carmelo is quickly catching up and has actually outsold LeBron's jerseys over the past few weeks. If you remember my NBA season preview I forecasted the same trend. Not to be too vain but allow me to quote myself…..hang on, I think that was an Austin Powers line. Regardless, here's what I said at the beginning of the season: "One area where 'Melo will have an advantage over LeBron is in jersey popularity. LeBron's jersey has already over-saturated the market making 'Melo's redesigned Denver Nuggets powder blue jersey the jersey to be seen in. Those San Diego Chargers powder blue throwbacks from last year were incredibly popular NFL sellers. So you can just imagine what 'Melo's jersey will rake in." Of course the redesign of the Nuggets and Cavaliers jerseys is another facet that has helped the drive of 'Melo and 'Bron jerseys. It's always great when a marketing department can synchronize itself with the re-launch of the team. You've also got to give credit to both LeBron and Carmelo's parents for having the foresight of giving their son's unique names. I don't think the endorsements would have been as lucrative if we were talking about Jim Anthony and Bill James. The names Carmelo and LeBron are instantly associated with the rookies and that's terrific brand power.

I was in Syracuse a couple of weeks ago and let me tell you it was Melo mania. The Anthony jersey was everywhere. I don't know if it's indigenous to Syracuse or to the US in whole but the jerseys were locked up in stores in Michael Jackson type fashion. I also got the feeling that there's no animosity towards him leaving early to the NBA. It's clear that he had nothing else to prove in NCAA. In his freshman year he averaged 22.2 PPG, 10 RPG and led the Orangeman to an NCAA title. His season may be the best ever for a freshman in NCAA history.

The numbers for Carmelo and LeBron are on par with expectations upon entering the league.

LeBron's Stats: 17.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 6.2 APG
Carmelo's Stats: 18.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.9 APG

LeBron's totals will improve as his supporting cast upgrades, especially his assist totals; he is a terrific ball distributor. Carmelo plays in the much tougher conference and will improve his totals with increased experience against the Western Conference's bigger and more talented frontcourt. Nonetheless the stats for the two rookies are remarkable and will become more impressive as they get acclimatized to the league.

	Telfair is pictured here at the renown ABCD development camp.

I find that the sports world is infatuated with always finding 'the next big thing'. You hear constant comparison that this player will be the next Michael Jordan or this player will be the next so and so. The hype starts so early. I mean how long have we been talking about LeBron James? But I find all too often that when a player finally does arrive to the professional ranks people are eager to discount them and try to knock their top billing down. People are all too quick to look for some small deficiency in their game just to say, "I told you so. I knew he/she was overrated." Right now the talk surfaces on 16-yr old hockey prospect Sidney Crosby and the hype machine is building steam for the next in a long line of Coney Island baller standouts, Sebastian Telfair. I could speculate how great of a player they'll both be but what's the point of talking about the Telfair's and Crosby's if you already have two bonified stars that have arrived. Everyone's always looking for the next up and comer but yet fail to appreciate them in the same vein when they arrive.

So just sit back, enjoy and appreciate the play of Carmelo and LeBron because it's not everyday that a major superstar joins the sports world, let alone two.