Meet the High School Basketball Player Who Was Once Considered Better Than LeBron James

Meet the High School Basketball Player Who Was Considered Better Than LeBron James -- this is the story of Lenny Cooke, a high school basketball player who was ranked higher than LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire in the summer of 2001.
sources:
uproxx.com/smokingsection/lenn...
www.zagsblog.com/2012/03/04/me...
sports.cbslocal.com/2016/07/18...
www.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/spo... (all these articles literally says cooke was considered the best going into the camp, for those commenting about ranking)
more sources
www.espn.com/recruiting/s/cook...
www.nydailynews.com/archives/s...
www.sfgate.com/tv/article/Lenn...
www.sbnation.com/nba/2014/2/1...
►TWITTER: / cainelovescali
► MUSIC- Instrumental produced by Chuki. / chukimusic )
outro: / tee
HXNS
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Ross Bugden Music: / rossbugden

[@yipkusin]

Dude took all his mistakes, owned up to them and is using them to help others. Can't hate on that.

[@BC21beats]

do you see the difference? Lenny: "I wanna be the next superstart " Lebron" " I just want to do my best and play hard I don't really care if I'm the best player"

[@oz5920]

8:28 damn, he even looks like the type of uncle at the cookout to say "I almost made it to the league, if only I blocked that shot and won that game, I'd be bigger than lebron James right now"

[@SupaNami]

There's a lot of Michael Jordans out there!! Turns out they just take the wrong roads in life!!

[@seanjohnson1635]

so he was ranked above LeBron as a senior even though LeBron was a sophomore wow... that doesn't mean your better it just means your older and more developed

[@deeboii7182]

man... its a shame to see all that talent gone to waste smh 😔

[@mylilbra1]

Dee Boii you should check out his documentary he travel and speak to kids to make sure they don't make the same mistake. Lenny was better then Melo when they played. so he had the opportunity.

[@thegoat4849]

Dee Boii no its not.

[@zhangxiaoyi3753]

Dee Boii let it be

[@thegigadykid1]

fr fr

[@donteh855]

Basically dropped out of high school. Didn't go to preworkouts. Bad attitude. Injuries. He was doomed from the start.

[@TheRabidbunnies]

Damn, what a story man. Respect to Lenny for using his story to try and teach younger kids, though, takes a lot of humility. Good on him.

[@mushy18100]

Moral of the story: never give up! When you lose, keep fighting, one game is not the end of the world.

[@money4385]

Moral of the story is to have a good work ethic and attitude and don't think you have arrived when you haven't.

[@realsportstalk7245]

The moral of the story is that talent is not enough. you gotta put in the work.It wasn't that game that brought him down. his stats that school year had dropped also. his problem was that everything was going to his head and he stopped putting in the work. he had offers to top schools in the nation and he chose to go pro and then didn't even go to the workouts. that is insane.

[@heavydoso7425]

LeBron said he don't care who better in the camp he still no what he can do i respect that

[@rainsome9]

Lenny Cooke was so use to winning basketball games, He didn't take losing well. Instead of the lost making him stronger it made mentally weaker and which he never recovered.

[@OVOXODrake]

Great example of work ethic over talent.

[@CoolKid-qq7hp]

This is why u shouldn't be arrogant, and kids, stay in school

[@jay7166]

Dude you just showed us why LeBron was better than Lenny

[@tiismuna]

Jason Reed he said he lost because of an inbound steal.. I think its not even his fault..

[@j_quan2594]

It's titled that so people would click the vid if it was titled the other way around most people would be like who is Cooke no shit LeBron is better than him

[@x-roticcastiel6490]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@JeremiahJai]

Jason Reed ryte lmao I was like what part of this video was supposed to change my opinion lmaoo!!

[@yourmovin9022]

Jason Reed on god 💀💀💀💀💀

[@ToneRetroGaming]

Classic case of how a lack of guidance from parents can lead to some bad decisions. Ppl like to talk about the hood and its negative influences and rightfully so, but I grew up in those same circumstances the difference is you need parents that instill those good values in you and sometimes you just need to figure it out on your own. You can't have a talent like this and throw it all away. It's inexcusable.

[@leonardobarbosa9056]

"I'mma play you in various ways"- Kobe

[@GodDogofVice]

Lenny Cooke's stats with the Celtics Summer league team were actually very good, certainly good enough to earn a roster spot and get some minutes off the bench. It was well known that the coaching staff didn't like him, that's why he was cut from the team.

[@missayawk]

GodDogofVice...Also when the Celts and the Cavs played against each other that summer league...Lenny didnt play not ONE second of the game!!

[@NewEarthSon]

Correct. Lenny only played once against lebron and that was ABCD Camp in summer 2001 in New Jersey. Lebron people were afraid of a motivated lenny cooke. The saga of Lenny vs lebron is Proof that NBA players are hand picked and it has nothing to do with talent. Dont believe the fable that a player can be considered a top player and not even get drafted in 2002. Lenny Cooke was black balled because he was a Iverson type character. David stern and his group did not want a person like that representing the league moving forward. In the 2002 Draft, There were not 60 players better then lenny cooke. At worst only two players which were Ming and Williams.Lenny Cooke was blackballed. He played against nba players like Marbury and Ray Allen at Rucker Park and Lenny was Great.Lenny did not help himself with his record but In all I believe Lenny Cooke was USED TO BUILD LEBRON JAMES "BASKETBALL LEGACY".

[@topsports425]

Poor work ethic ,bad decisions plus attitude ended his career

[@joeperry6693]

He should have went to the NBA workouts .. those are crucial .. tough story to hear, im glad hes teaching kids to be smart.

[@grantgunderson4202]

Dude how did Isaiah Thomas become one of the best prospects, and then become the last pick of the NBA draft?!?

[@brianq6856]

Imagine the kid meme that says "LeBron James" Instead he says "Lenny Cooke" lmfao

[@liam9083]

😂

[@donellj20]

Hero #0 😂😂😂💯

[@yogaknives]

xTurtleBrian [Turtles] shit just doesn't flow lool would probably being saying the same about Lebron if the original was Lenny

[@codyssmith73]

Lennnnay Coook.

[@bluefingerz219]

Hero #0 you doing to much, stop

[@Readytogo11111]

another victim of overhype NY media about young prospect basketball player from that area, this is what happen if you listen too much to media write everything about you

[@junito1008]

Bad choices are the difference between get a lifetime contract with Nike and be the best player in the world or be broke for the rest of your life !! SMH

[@Goodgamebro]

Incredible video bro

[@82McKinley]

Funny video. Dude says Cooke was better than LBJ and proved the opposite in the vid.

[@bronjames2245]

82McKinley word

[@lukastanisa2882]

exactly

[@kingbennett8819]

I See You Rep That 330

[@timon9306]

82McKinley lmao

[@nachowifi2181]

"Damn, homie In high school you was the man, homie The f*ck happened to you?" 50 Cent Wanksta

[@bolee4340]

Abel Thermidor facts

[@PweezyG81]

I got the sickest vendetta, when it come to the chedda, you play with my paper, you gon meet my baretta

[@SincerelyChris7]

Abel Thermidor sounds like a j cole verse

[@stevethomas1722]

Christian Pitts get the fuck out

[@cjcurry2446]

hahaha

[@simadraven5402]

There are very similar stories like this in many poor neighborhoods and ghettos all over the country. Future stars and legends who never get the opportunity to shine because of bad advice, bad decisions and just plain bad luck... Lenny Cooke is another casualty in a very long line of "what if" superstars. Great story CaineLovesCali.

[@educatainment1799]

My heart goes out to Lenny. I'm sorry things went down like that. And I'm really happy you're using the opportunity to prevent other people from making the same mistakes and listening to the wrong people.

[@seanjohnson1635]

so basically he was Clyde drexler and LeBron was Jordan...and he got his soul taken from him in the championship

[@se7enzee444]

You might not like Lebron but you have to respect him. The man is one of the physically gifted athletes ever, yet he still works as hard in the off season unlike guys like Shaq and Tracy Mcgrady.

[@ClimaxcraftBro]

se7en Zee lol what? Tmac was riddled with injury and shaq is shaq

[@logankeaton3811]

se7en Zee I 100% agree he deserves respect but people in these comments be saying he is the goat, not gonna lie he is in top 5 and one of the most athletic players of all time but to say he is better than mj and Kobe and Kareem is a different story

[@se7enzee444]

Sure, T-Mac had many injuries throughout career. But he also didn't work as hard as other guys in the offseason.

[@antoineast]

and that's why Lebron is more durable than most NBA legends...... he takes care of his body...... had T Mac take the same approach he wouldn't have been injured as much

[@VFXmlg]

T-mac was a bum he use to come out her at local court to trash on noobs when he was with orlando and rockets.

[@ASura3]

They have a movie called "Lenny Cooke Remember his Face". I want to watch it.

[@hollywoodjoseph8336]

Bron hit Lenny with the greatest hesitation of all time

[@hollywoodjoseph8336]

Career ending hesitation

[@copywheeleye3207]

when i saw the thumbnail, i thought it was about their hairlines! 😂

[@efnavarro5246]

The point of this video is not Lenny Cooke being better than LeBron James or the other way around. I think it's how the former wasted his talent when he could've been drafted no. 1.

[@redshot1015]

U think this kid Lenny is only one... LOL there is alot of kids that are monsters that woulld destroy the NBA but there in prison or made wrong decisions

[@lebronjames7780]

He tried to mess with my throne I had to show him who's KING!

[@BenDover-hh8hx]

They look like brothers

[@oohgetmoney7993]

Reasons why LeBron is one of the greatest of all time despite finals records 1. High IQ 2. Can score at anytime 3. Can play 1-5 position 4. Great defender 5. Great passer 6. Very athletic

[@thelance0708]

He played in Philippine Besketball Assciation (PBA) way back 2006, before he injured his achilles which ends his professional basketball career.

[@kevinthomas2470]

I saw the documentary on him on Showtime a few years ago. Great story but sad. The scene where they had his present self talking to his former self was crazy.

[@RoySkilletz]

I remember the talk of LeBron and Melo, Never not once did I EVER hear of Lenny Cooke. Shoot! I even heard talk of Sebastian Telfair. Lenny Cooke is a ghost.

[@VictorShephard]

Carlyle Wilson they don't usually talk about guys until their senior year. Cooke was MIA that year.

[@dacaptain321]

when in doubt blame lebron... crowned scap goat

[@justincole3670]

dacaptain321 he been the scape goat since HS😂😂

[@dacaptain321]

Jccc Cjjj facts

[@dunno1053]

I guess Lebron COOKED Lenny😂. Okay i'll leave now..

[@-Butcho-]

"Meet the player who was better then lebron james" "Lebron James beat Lenny on his own turf"

[@imalowkeygoattt9643]

LeBron ended that nigga career lol😂😂

[@tompaulcampbell]

Your ghettospeak is really sad!

[@trillfred915]

Tom Campbell shut nigga yo name Tom

[@gloedup150]

KD ended Lebum career this year doe lmao

[@imalowkeygoattt9643]

Glo'ed Up but the snake had to get on 73-9 team with 5 all Stars just to do it.

[@qceaz11]

Glo'ed Up KD still got alot of catchin up to do nice try though

[@kieranng8751]

video has everything, great structure, great story, very nice conclusion, good job you can tell the effort put into this!

[@dassitdassall]

You just won my subcription! First time I've heard of Cooke. It's an eye-opener. There are people with immense talent in this world. ...you never know where life might take you. By looking at this footage, Cooke was playing how Lebron plays in his NBA prime but in highschool. That's the thing, Cooke had raw natural talent but Lebron had natural talent + hardwork and those, combined, are deadly. Even as a Miami Heat fan, I do not hate Lebron whatsoever, never have and never will. We always take what we have for granted and I ask everyone, "How can you not be a fan?" Although they're very unique there really is no difference in their greatness regardless of accolades. I wish Lenny Cooke would have not been shattered. His ego crushed him. He seems like he'd be a top tier player.

[@MikeLove13]

There is a graveyard of Lenny Cookes out there; The ones that never made it. These are the stories our children need to hear...

[@DaKidGowie]

5:15 FACTS!

[@TELLMEWHOYAGOT]

nice video the Lenny cooke documentary was good and a cautionary tale for future nba prospects.

[@calebkenney3622]

I can tell you put a lot of effort into making this video. Great content, good job!

[@goodforyourecords7613]

I played with Lenny on a number of occasions. It was obvious he did not have the support system around him that was necessary for him to make educated decisions. ABSOLUTELY NO ONE makes it to the NBA without the right people in their every day life. It's not sad, it's not a tough break, it's simply LIFE.

[@BlizzardChild323Gaming]

LEN BIAS.....BEN WILSON.....REGGIE LEWIS.....EARL MANIGAULT etc....there were few more also

[@manawesomeharris2829]

the only reason I clicked this video is because I saw lebrons hair line in the thumbnail

[@IronMan_thno]

I remember Cooke from when I was in high school. Him and DeJuan Wagner both scored 100+ points in a game the same year, and one of them did it twice. Wagner made the league, but after the Cavs got LeBron, kind of fizzled out. Cooke, Wagner, Tyson Chandler, Kwame Brown, and Eddy Curry were big names then.

[@anthonyjones5677]

This lil 10mins does nothing compared to his doc. Y'all gotta go catch it. That boy had a horrible attitude and he paid the price for it...

[@JaylynJBird22]

Soooo lebron pretty much destroyed this mans dreams

[@Sight2Behold]

Jaylyn Neal No, his work ethic and arrogance destroyed his dreams because if he had that work ethic and humbling himself, he'd relish going against LeBron again annd you heard it, he'd rather party and clubhop at 16-17 than to prepare himself

[@bronjames2245]

Jaylyn Neal I didn't I crushed his dreams now he work at McDonalds

[@fourceable]

Hell nah Lebron was NBA ready at highschool

[@Mafiavelli]

Rez Fitz hell nah

[@marcorodriguez6240]

Dwayne Bass yes he was

[@harveykraus5767]

jon willus after he graduated high school he joined the NBA

[@dxp96]

after he joined the NBA he dominated his first year, ppl really don't look at Lebron like he hasn't lived up to his hype.

[@bronjames2245]

jon willus I really was

[@Chucky925]

Wow!! thanks for this video, i never heard of this guy until now.. i coached Carmelo on a BNBL team in Baltimore at Mt Royal and John E. Howard rec's in the late 90s and i new he was going to be special.. you have to surround your self with good people or your done.. wow wish we could have seen this kid make it.....🏀💯

[@turtleislandlac1490]

Great video. I love stories like these.

[@dbsasuke]

A little humility and the "One and Done" rule could have changed his life. Crazy.

[@Justabettaplayer]

Damn such sad story but a bet a common one in the hoods. It's like kids in Australia playing rugby league.. so much potential but injuries and the drinking culture we have in Australia.. they lose interest or whatever...wasted talent and no academics to backup.

[@BlackKingEnt]

great video man. I loved it. You did you thing.

[@crarazy]

Cool to see that he's kind of turned his life into something even without a career in the NBA. A lot of those guys who don't make it and don't stay with the game really see their lives fall in around them. So proud to see he's been doing positive stuff since his playing days.

[@SUPERNBAFUN]

If he went to North Carolina or Ohio State, he'll at least receive a college degree and get a job offer from one of the school boosters.

[@nepalihercules]

that guy couldn't even pass high school. we had several black guys playing basketball who couldn't do simple math. i bet he was one of those guys.

[@watcherwatcher9717]

nepali hercules simple match?...learn to spell before you put others down

[@skolwolves474]

😂😂😂 Lebron proved he was better at a younger age.

[@mgiddens1000]

superb job Caine I watch a lot of youtube videos and most are hard to watch ... u did a really nice job

[@kimihamzic3309]

well congrats yesterday you hit around 34,000 hope you reach 100,000 or a 1,000,000 in the future

[@dreezfromthex9188]

Just watch the Lenny Cooke movie

[@greenngold4life556]

Pretty much the same situation as the ESPN 30 for 30 "The Best That Never Was" about Running Back Marcus Dupree. Dude was a monster.

[@marky209]

excellent video, man

[@Shteno]

Woow! Your video popped up to me out of no where man, and if the others are as good as this one, I'm definitely following you! What a great story about a player we've never heard of! Awesome! Kinda reminded my (almost, not exactly) about the story of the Goat!

[@torikellyfan9882]

As that commercial can say "we have enough Lebrons"

[@bernardwashington5131]

Lenny had mad talent but a poor attitude and work ethic. He was always trying to get over and was given a lot at young age because of his talent. If he had more guidance and less yes men around him, he might have made it to the pros.

[@josephjuter350]

very well done video. I enjoyed it.

[@yaelkeysphotography987]

Having a BAD attitude is deadly! Ego will destroy...its best to remain humble and stay away from negativity!

[@edmagararu9]

Vero good video bruh. He made bad decisions like we all do, but its good how hes teaching his life experience to young kids. He may have wasted his talents, but at least he's guiding other kids

[@dmd1344]

They made a documentary about this already

[@vagardener1229]

Lenny Cooke was alright, he in VA right now coaching

[@jig1056]

great video.. 4.2 million views.. congrats on that bro

[@d_millz]

I'm confused, when was he ever better then LeBron, they played against each other as teens, LeBron and his team won the game, and this guy was never the same after the loss, um ok, #clickbait

[@stephortlessbroncosgswgang21]

D Mill this not clickbait there's proof all on YT or biography of this cooke was better that game & doing dumb shit made him a after thought

[@alonzotae4780]

Stephortless #IamAOG well I watched the Lenny Cooke documentary and the coaches and staff said Lebron was the much better player that game an much better play period

[@TheSizNation]

Agreed this is definitely click bait. This guy sounds like he wouldn't have made it in the league anyway. Would've been an overpaid bench warmer due to injuries.

[@swbyui]

D Mill he's saying he was better than LeBron until that game when he lost.

[@MJ-xm1jb]

Sing it with me....🎤"Almost doesn't count"🎤🤣

[@alonzonunley]

Wow, I was totally unaware of this story. Nice Job!

[@HpHH83]

I didn't know about Lenny Cooke, I see the reason why now. Very well put together man....thanks.

[@c_w3377]

I remember him. Always wondered what happened

[@edmond3933]

Sad to see such a beast who pratically never lost until Lebron James appears in his life. It would be legendary if we had Lenny Cooke vs Lebron in NBA Final

[@MatteoICEE]

Yo, nice video. I actually go to the high school that Lenny cooke went to when he lived in New Jersey and it is kinda of sad because he is completely forgotten. There is nothing at our school that mentions him and even the teachers don't know anything or say anything about him.

[@RICHTVLIVE]

Great video bro

[@tonyshen7478]

Besides the physical talents, it's really about self-control.

[@unorthdoxcleric6953]

For every person that makes the NBA god knows how many other dreams have been crushed.

[@abdirizakosman1117]

That was very informational. Thanks.

[@nightcarries]

I've been subbed since before 1k, and I've gotta say, great content here.

[@200blockwildboy]

lenny was a beast but he didnt like school and that held him back...moving in wit debbie in a mansion in nj gave him the belief he had made it already...not playing his senior year hurt him also because the last memory college scouts had of him was lebron owning him...and bad timing hurt lenny the year before bust like kwame brown were drafted out of hs so the following year ppl werent really trying to tak hs kids

[@idkijs435]

um... never heard of him... he was better in 2001... when LeBron was a sophomore... ok

[@CrAzMaTriX]

crazy story thanks for sharing this information

[@jelie2k]

Love this story. You've earned a subscriber.

[@shaqattackproductions1117]

You should make a video on who you think is the best 6th man of all time

[@jay-on5nd]

BBALL ForLife J crossover

[@masterroshimagazines4354]

ginobili all day

[@robbievivenzio3877]

Josh Stevo ginobli man

[@MakingPaperRegularly]

definitely Jamal Crawford

[@OddJaxx900]

Lou Williams easily

[@hurtcobain3282]

Lebron hairline was never destined for greatness.

[@PharaohLawLess1]

The documentary on Lenny Cook explains all of this too. I show my son that documentary to keep him grounded and focused. All Kids need to take heed of the Lenny Cook story.

[@mitchb4084]

nice review dude