James accepts his hardware in a heartbeat

In any other year, Denver's Carmelo Anthony probably would have won the award.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Not long after the news conference ended, LeBron James joined a few friends in the back of a room inside Gund Arena and danced.
His moves were smooth -- like the ones he made on the court during his remarkable first season as a pro.
On Tuesday, James won the NBA's Rookie of the Year award, the crowning moment for a 19-year-old who lived up to his "King James" nickname while reviving the Cleveland Cavaliers.
"It brings a smile to my face," James said, beaming.
Nobody cared that he was 45 minutes late for the announcement. This was one teenager who didn't need an excuse.
"They had to drag me out bed to put this suit on," said James, whose black suit was perfectly complemented by a wine-colored shirt. "I didn't want to get out. I thought I was going to practice when they woke me up this morning."
He had reason to be tired. Saving a franchise is hard work.
The voting
James received 66 percent of the first-place votes from a panel of sports writers and broadcasters, easily beating Denver's Carmelo Anthony and becoming the youngest to win the award.
The 6-foot-8 James made the jump from preps to pros look easy, somehow living up to the unprecedented hype.
The No. 1 overall draft pick did more than just post jaw-dropping statistics night after night: He transformed Gund Arena into a hot spot, and he gave Cleveland fans reason to hope.
"He proved to all of us that he is up for a challenge. He exceeded all of our expectations and just kept raising the bar," Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund said.
James received 508 points, including 78 of a possible 118 first-place votes, to become the first Cleveland rookie honored.
Anthony, who left Syracuse after leading it to an NCAA championship as a freshman, finished with 430 points, including the other 40 first-place votes.
"People are going to think what they want to think," Anthony said. "I don't really know what else I could have done."
Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat was third with 117 points. Players received 5 points for a first-place vote, 3 for second and 1 for third.
Diplomatic
"I thought it could go either way," said James, who praised Anthony for having a phenomenal season. "I thought it could be a split decision."
In any other year, Anthony probably would have won the award for statistics similar to James' and helping the Nuggets go from 17 victories to the playoffs.
But this season belonged to James, from his 25-point, nine-rebound, six-assist NBA debut at Sacramento through his resounding windmill dunk to close his season at Madison Square Garden.
James followed Amare Stoudemire of the Phoenix Suns as the second consecutive rookie honored after turning pro directly from high school.
But that's where the similarities end.
No player entered the league to as much fanfare as James. And the Akron native delivered on the court, while his wine-and-gold No. 23 jersey led NBA sales and his image was marketed from coast to coast.
James averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists, joining Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan as the only NBA rookies to average at least 20-5-5.
"He just has it. It's all his attitude," Cavaliers coach Paul Silas said. "He has a knack for doing and saying the right thing and not in an antagonistic way. That's just not in him. He's humble, and he's about winning more than anything."
Like any rookie, James had his share of struggles while adjusting to the pros. He learned to accept the punishment before dishing out some of his own.
On March 27, he scored 41 points against New Jersey to become the youngest player in league history to break 40. He scored more than 30 points 13 times, and made countless moves that defied description.
"They try to take away your manhood in this league, and they couldn't get mine," said James, who received his trophy Tuesday night at the NBA Store in New York.
Hall of Famer Julius Erving, who helped present the trophy, believes James will add more hardware before his career ends.
"I think nothing but extraordinary things about this extraordinary young man," Erving said. "He silenced the critics early and often. This rookie of the year selection is his first step to going to the Basketball Hall of Fame."