In our discussions of sports searches, we've noted that basketball players get more queries than players in the other team sports. Here is the list of last week's most-searched hoopsters:

1) Allen Iverson (76ers)
2) Michael Jordan (Wizards)
3) Kobe Bryant (Lakers)
4) Tracy McGrady (Magic)
5) Vince Carter (Raptors)
6) Lebron James (high school)
7) Shaquille O'Neal (Lakers)
8) Yao Ming (Rockets)

Go back and read that again. Yes, it says "high school."

Meet 17-year-old LeBron James, the future of the NBA. This 6-foot-7 senior at Ohio's St. Vincent-St. Mary High School is the sure #1 pick in next year's NBA draft if he decides to skip college. The odds of James going to college are roughly similar to the odds of Christina Aguilera joining a nunnery.

In fact, last year he talked about declaring for the NBA after his junior year of high school. If he had challenged the NBA in court and won, he likely would have been the top pick ahead of China's 7-foot-5 behemoth Yao Ming.

James is so popular that his team plays its games at the University of Akron, instead of in a high school gym. Now the James legend is growing even larger, as Time Warner cable will be offering his games on pay-per-view in Ohio.

Is it any wonder this kid is already getting plenty of Internet searches? The February 18 cover of Sports Illustrated described him as "The Chosen One." According to NBADraft.net, James is "blessed with supreme athletic gifts and the mind to maximize these tools... lending to his amazing composure on the floor are his supreme vision and court sense. Has another gear to blow by virtually any defender, and has great leaping ability to get above the rim for spectacular finishes."

Basketball fans in Denver, Memphis, and San Francisco should keep their heads up. If those teams continue to stink up the NBA, they get a shot at the magical ping-pong balls that will deliver the next basketball messiah. Provided, of course, that David Stern doesn't rig the draft to send James to New York, the way it is alleged he did with Patrick Ewing in 1985.

TOMORROW: The new Lycos 50.