Twenty-one years later, the debate still burns. LeBron James took home the 2003-04 Rookie of the Year award, but one NBA legend thinks the voters got it wrong. On a recent podcast appearance, Tracy McGrady made his case for why Carmelo Anthony deserved the honor, and his argument centers on one undeniable fact: Anthony led his team to the playoffs as a rookie.
Why Did Tracy McGrady Think Carmelo Anthony Deserved the Award?
On a recent episode of the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, guest McGrady spoke with host Anthony and delivered a passionate defense of Anthony’s rookie campaign.
“I mean, no shade to anybody, but I thought he should have run Rookie of the Year. I mean, yeah, he should have won Rookie of the Year. You should have won that s**t, Rookie of the Year, ’cause you took your team to the playoffs,” McGrady said to the future Hall of Famer.
McGrady’s argument wasn’t just about individual stats. He focused on team success and leadership, qualities that separated Anthony from his fellow rookies that season.
The numbers tell a fascinating story of two players who took vastly different paths to stardom. During the 2003-04 NBA campaign, Anthony averaged 21 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. The rookie from Syracuse shot 42.6% from the field, 32.2% from three, and 77.7% from the free throw line. His Denver Nuggets won 43 games and secured the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
Meanwhile, LeBron James averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. He shot 41.7% from the floor, 29.0% from three, and 75.4% from the free throw line. The Cleveland Cavaliers won 35 games and missed the playoffs entirely.
Both players led their teams in scoring, with nearly identical 21-point averages. While James distributed more assists nightly, Anthony grabbed more rebounds and shot more efficiently across all three levels. Most importantly, Anthony’s team totaled eight more wins, a difference that secured a playoff berth.
The head-to-head matchups further supported McGrady’s case. During the regular season, James and Anthony faced off twice.
Anthony won both meetings and averaged 19 points per game during the two contests. James managed just 13 points per game in those defeats, struggling against his draft class rival.
What Made Anthony’s Rookie Season So Special?
McGrady emphasized the unique pressure and responsibility Anthony shouldered as a rookie. “As a rookie, [you] lead your team, that is a tremendous accomplishment for a rookie. To come in and have that spotlight on him like that and to get slighted on Rook of the Year is, I ain’t like that at all,” McGrady explained later in the podcast.
The voting results show just how close the race actually was. For the 2003-04 Rookie of the Year votes, James received 78 first-place votes while Anthony collected 40. While James won decisively, Anthony’s strong showing reflected the legitimate debate surrounding the award.
Both prospects entered the league as the most hyped rookies in years. Anthony was fresh off an incredible National Championship run at Syracuse, while James graced the cover of Sports Illustrated with comparisons to Michael Jordan despite jumping straight from high school.
McGrady’s argument for Anthony winning the 2003-04 Rookie of the Year award highlights an ongoing debate about individual versus team success in award voting. It’s a discussion that both Anthony and Dwyane Wade have acknowledged has merit, showing that even decades later, the 2003 draft class continues to generate passionate debates about who accomplished what during that remarkable rookie season.
