Already a star, is LeBron now a superstar?

Conventional wisdom said that it would not last, that there was a rookie wall in James’ future that would keep him from staying at such a level.

In mid-December, James hit that wall running, scaled it with ease and used it to propel himself into another dimension.

As if it were not enough to enter the NBA playing like an All-Star, James has spent the past two weeks playing like a superstar.

Over the Cleveland Cavaliers’ last 10 games (as on Friday), James, a 6-foot-8, 240-pound guard, has averaged 27.7 points a game, scoring more than 30 points five times.

‘‘You’d think he’s 25 or 26 years old’’, said Rod Thorn, the president of the Nets, before that team’s game against the Cavaliers on Friday night. ‘‘It’s incredible. You look at Kobe and Garnett and those guys — when they were his age, they weren’t as good as he is. Will he get up to their level? I’m not saying he will or won’t, but there’s never been an 18-year-old guy as good as he is.’’

One could argue that James, who last Tuesday celebrated his 19th birthday by recording 22 points and 10 rebounds in a loss to Indiana, has already reached their level. Already one of the NBA’s most versatile athletes, he and Paul Pierce are the only players in the league averaging at least 20 points, six rebounds and six assists a game.

Some would dispute the notion that James has arrived because of Cleveland’s 10-22 record, but Tracy McGrady, a bona fide superstar who engaged in a memorable Christmas Day shootout with James, has led Orlando to just 8 victories in 32 games. Despite Bryant’s brilliance, the Los Angeles Lakers seldom win without Shaquille O’Neal on the floor. Last season, when O’Neal missed the first 12 games because of an injury, Bryant averaged 29 points a game, yet the Lakers went 3-9.

Is it fair to rob James of superstar status just because his starting lineup includes Kedrick Brown and Ira Newble?

‘‘I knew he was good, but I didn’t know he was this good’’, Cleveland coach Paul Silas said. ‘‘I’ve often said it takes most players two or three years to really acclimatise themselves to this league. And he’s done so already. That’s not to say he doesn’t have a lot of things to improve on — he does. But he’s so smart that he just figures it out. Couple that with his athleticism, and he’s way, way ahead of schedule.’’

James has been so impressive that basketball minds don’t shy away from comparing him to Jordan. Though not as graceful as Jordan, James, who starts at point guard for Cleveland, has court vision and passing ability similar to that of Magic Johnson. One Eastern Conference scout who attended a recent Cavaliers game said, ‘‘He’s Jason Kidd and Michael Jordan rolled into one.’’

James does not play defense nearly as well as Kidd does or as Jordan did, and that is the area he needs to work on most. He is still learning technique and positioning, and he often runs into screens. He also needs to cut down on his turnovers (3.9 a game). Otherwise, the comparisons to Jordan are likely to continue. ‘‘This kid probably handles the ball better than Michael did at his age’’, said Thorn, who as Chicago’s general manager drafted Jordan in 1984. ‘‘Michael just came out and scored every night when he was a rookie. He was relentless and went to the basket better than this kid. Neither one was a great shooter, but this kid is getting better and better, just as Michael did.’’

Asked if the thought of James’ continued improvement was a scary one, Silas said, ‘‘Not for me, not as long as I’m around him for the next 10 years.’’

( The New York Times)