renuszm
05-24-2003, 02:55 PM
CLEVELAND -- One of LeBron James' first games as a pro will take place in a gym not much bigger than some of the ones he played in during high school.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, who plan to select James with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft on June 26, have agreed to play an exhibition game against the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 23 in St. John's, Newfoundland.
Cavaliers spokesman Tad Carper said the teams have signed to play the game, which will take place in 5,000-seat Mile One Stadium, home of the St. John's Maple Leafs of the American Hockey League.
The AHL franchise is owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd., which also owns the Raptors and the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs.
Carper said the Cavaliers have scheduled six exhibition games in October, and may add two more.
James, the 18-year-old high school sensation from Akron, will play his first exhibition game at Gund Arena against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Cavaliers will also play in Detroit and three games in the Los Angeles, area with one of the matchups against the Lakers in Bakersfield, Calif.
Dates and times will be released next week, Carper said.
James' addition to the Cavaliers, who won the NBA lottery Thursday night and the rights to select James, has given the club more national exposure in two days than the club has had in years.
Cleveland fans flooded the team's offices on Friday with phone calls to get seasons tickets. Carper said it was the best day for sales since the club moved to the Gund in 1994.
On Saturday, the Cavaliers held a special select-a-seat promotion for prospective ticket buyers, who were allowed to walk through the 20,000-seat arena and choose seats.
Fans won't have that luxury in Newfoundland, where the few seats are expected to go fast to see James play.
"I don't think we'll have any trouble selling out those 5,000 seats now," Richard Peddie, MLSE president, was quoted as saying in the Toronto Globe and Mail.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, who plan to select James with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft on June 26, have agreed to play an exhibition game against the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 23 in St. John's, Newfoundland.
Cavaliers spokesman Tad Carper said the teams have signed to play the game, which will take place in 5,000-seat Mile One Stadium, home of the St. John's Maple Leafs of the American Hockey League.
The AHL franchise is owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd., which also owns the Raptors and the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs.
Carper said the Cavaliers have scheduled six exhibition games in October, and may add two more.
James, the 18-year-old high school sensation from Akron, will play his first exhibition game at Gund Arena against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Cavaliers will also play in Detroit and three games in the Los Angeles, area with one of the matchups against the Lakers in Bakersfield, Calif.
Dates and times will be released next week, Carper said.
James' addition to the Cavaliers, who won the NBA lottery Thursday night and the rights to select James, has given the club more national exposure in two days than the club has had in years.
Cleveland fans flooded the team's offices on Friday with phone calls to get seasons tickets. Carper said it was the best day for sales since the club moved to the Gund in 1994.
On Saturday, the Cavaliers held a special select-a-seat promotion for prospective ticket buyers, who were allowed to walk through the 20,000-seat arena and choose seats.
Fans won't have that luxury in Newfoundland, where the few seats are expected to go fast to see James play.
"I don't think we'll have any trouble selling out those 5,000 seats now," Richard Peddie, MLSE president, was quoted as saying in the Toronto Globe and Mail.