CLEVELAND, May 17, 2006 – Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James was named to the All-NBA First Team today by the NBA. He becomes the youngest player in NBA history to earn All-NBA first team honors and the second player in franchise history to be named to the All-NBA First team. James led all players in All-NBA first place votes (116) and total points (610).
During the 2005-06 season, James became just the fourth player in NBA history to average at least 31.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists for an entire season (31.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists). He ranked third in the league in scoring, 12th in assists per game and 15th in steals per game (1.56). He recorded five triple-doubles during the season (second best in the league) and scored 30 or more points in 49 games.
This season, James was voted MVP of the 2006 NBA All-Star Game after being named an All-Star starter for the second consecutive season. He finished second behind Steve Nash in the NBA MVP voting with 688 total points. He earned Eastern Conference Player of the Month awards in November and March and was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on five occasions, becoming the first player in NBA history to win the Eastern Conference Player of the Week award in three consecutive weeks (for weeks ending March 20, March 27 and April 2).
At the age of 21 years, 138 days, James is the youngest player in NBA history to be named to the All-NBA First Team. Max Zaslofsky was 21 years, five months old when he was named to the All-NBA First Team as a rookie in the 1946-47 season.
James joins Mark Price as the only Cavaliers to earn All-NBA first team honors. Price was named to the All-NBA First Team following the 1992-93 season. James was an All-NBA Second Team selection last season. James is joined on the All-NBA First Team by Phoenix’s Steve Nash, Los Angeles’ Kobe Bryant, Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki and Miami’s Shaquille O’Neal.
The 126-member voting panel of writers and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada consisted of national media members and members from each of the league’s 30 teams who regularly cover the NBA. The media voted for All-NBA First, Second and Third Teams by position with points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis.