James captures Rookie of the Year

James beat out Denver’s Carmelo Anthony for the honor, despite Anthony leading the Nuggets to the playoffs for the first time since the 1994-95 campaign.

James, who was the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft, became the first Cavalier to win the prestigious award. James averaged 20.9 points, 5.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds and helped improve Cleveland’s win total from 17 in 2002-03 to 35 this past season.

James received 508 points, including 78 of a possible 118 first-place votes, while Anthony finished with 430 points — with the other 40 first-place votes — in balloting by sports writers and broadcasters. Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat was third with 117 points.

He became only the third rookie in NBA history to average at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in a season, joining Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson.

James, who was named the Eastern Conference’s Rookie of the Month in every month this season, got the Cavaliers within one game of eighth-place Boston.

The 19-year-old James scored a season-high 41 points on March 27, which made him the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 40 in a game. He also scored at least 30 points on 13 occasions.

The superstar guard, who came into the league straight out of high school, had the best selling jersey in the league and also drew a sellout crowd to Cleveland’s Gund Arena 16 times.

Anthony, who led Syracuse to the national championship in 2002-03, was the third overall pick after just one season with the Orangemen. He averaged 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists for his team, which finished eighth in the West and will battle Minnesota in the opening round of the playoffs.

The Phoenix Suns’ Amare Stoudemire, who was also drafted out of high school, was named the Rookie of the Year for the 2002-03 season.