Dec. 10
I'm heading to Cleveland State University to call a high-school basketball game -- yes, high school -- Thursday night featuring LeBron James (ESPN2, 7:30 p.m. ET).

Who is LeBron James, you ask? Have you been living in a cave, baby? The high-school phenom has received all kinds of publicity, and the freight train has run away. The express has been going full steam ahead, and we've been behind in catching on.

	High-school phenom LeBron James already is the darling of the 2003 NBA draft.

The following ESPN crew will be there: play-by-play man Dan Shulman (I hope he's not being paid by the word, because high-school games have eight-minute quarters and he has quite a group with him!), Bill Walton, Jay Bilas and yours truly.

It's going to be Fun City as James' high school, St. Vincent-St. Mary, takes on Oak Hill Academy, which is among the premier high-school basketball programs in the nation year in and year out.

I'm more curious than ever to see James play. In talking to people and doing my research, the reviews on him are amazing. On a scale of 1-5, they have come in at 5+, starting with Howard Garfinkel of the Five-Star Basketball Camp. He said James is the only player in his camp to play in both the developmental league and the big league as a sophomore at the same time. He was a dominant performer in both, an amazing young talent.

I remember Garfinkel calling me at 10:30 one night screaming that James was the best he's seen on the high-school level. He said it was unreal, watching the young man go against Carmelo Anthony in a contest in New Jersey. Garfinkel said James was in a class by himself.

Coaches all over have sung James' praises. Louisville's Rick Pitino and Syracuse's Jim Boeheim have spoken about James' talents. Matt Doherty said he was the closest thing in high school to Michael Jordan. And many observers put James in the same class as Magic Johnson. WOW!

I understand why many label him as a can't-miss, the top prospect for the NBA draft. You know that I would love to see all high-school kids benefit from the college experience. Then again, you have to be realistic and understand the situation. LeBron James likely will be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft -- and he's on the verge of a shoe deal that could be the richest in the history of basketball -- so you can understand why he'd want to jump straight from high school to the pros.

He led St. Vincent-St. Mary to the state championship as a freshman and a sophomore. Last year, his team lost to Cincinnati-based Roger Bacon in the finals. This year's squad has other talented players, including guard Corey Jones and a pair of future University of Akron Zips, forward Romeo Travis and point guard Dru Joyce III.

Coach Steve Smith's Oak Hill team is loaded, one of the nation's elite. Many Oak Hill stars have played at Division I schools. At least three current Oak Hill players have signed letters of intent to play at big-time programs next year: 6-foot-8 forward Ivan Harris (Ohio State), guard Marcus Williams (Connecticut) and guard J.R. Reynolds (Virginia). Smith has had so many stars play for him over the years, including Jerry Stackhouse, Ron Mercer and Jeff McInnis. This will be a tough challenge for LeBron and Co.

The bottom line is curiosity, and that's why ESPN's cameras are focusing on this game. There has been so much interest in this young phenom, but think about how many stars in various sports have been in the spotlight early in their athletic lives: Venus and Serena Williams, Martina Hingis, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Tiger Woods, Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett ... and the beat goes on and on.

The interest is there, and it's not hype if you can back it up. LeBron James is the real deal.

Coaches all over have sung James' praises. Matt Doherty said he was the closest thing in high school to Michael Jordan.

Then there are the skeptics who criticize the fact these kids travel all over the country. Coach Dru Joyce's St. Vincent-St. Mary team will visit Pauley Pavilion, the Palestra and Greensboro Coliseum. People are entitled to their opinion, but these kids are not missing any class time. All of their travel will take place during holiday vacations and weekends.

The exposure and visibility for the school is amazing, and it helps the general fund of the institution, the operating budget that is so important for a private school. Just ask coach Bob Hurley at St. Anthony's in New Jersey, which is on the verge of closing its doors if it doesn't raise enough funds. It's so valuable to have money coming in from outside sources.

Is St. Vincent-St. Mary taking a little bit of an advantage of the situation? Obviously, but this is America, a free-enterprise system, and there is a product that people want to see. It's a unique situation, and as long as kids aren't missing class, I don't have a problem with it. The money is going back to the school, and an amazing 98 percent of last year's seniors went to college, so academics are clearly very important at St. Vincent-St. Mary.

This is a chance for James to put money in the bank for his school, so to speak, due to his notoriety. So be it. I can't wait to see the game, baby!