October 2003

LeBron James made his NBA debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers at age 18, scoring 25 points against the Sacramento Kings in a performance that immediately validated the unprecedented hype surrounding the most anticipated rookie in league history.

Kanye West released his debut single Through the Wire, recorded while his jaw was still wired shut following a near-fatal car accident, an act of creative determination that immediately announced a major new talent and foreshadowed his rise to superstardom.