WASHINGTON - Kwame Brown has never met LeBron James, has never swapped stories or traded sneakers, but few people know the whirlwind that James may be headed for better than Brown.

Brown, the second-year power forward for the Washington Wizards, was the first player chosen in last year's NBA draft, as well as being the first high school player ever taken first overall, and he has an idea of what's in store for James, the presumed first pick in June.

"I think they [the media] are putting him in a situation where he's going to fail," Brown said. "He's not going to be able to live up to the hype. To say that he's MJ [Michael Jordan] in his prime is retarded. He's still going to have to go through a transition, and if he stubs his toe, the same media that's saying he's great is going to be all over him. That's going to be the little mental game that he's going to have to go through."

Of course, Brown has had a few advantages not available to James. First, Brown, one of three high school players drafted in the first four picks last year, largely came in under the radar screen of most league observers before being drafted, while virtually every move James has made has been scrutinized, thanks to overwhelming newspaper, television and magazine coverage.

Also, Brown had the great benefit of playing alongside Jordan, the ultimate satellite dish - during Jordan's comeback year, no less - so he drew less attention. And Brown's team was respectable, battling for a playoff spot into early April.

For James, things will be quite different. He will be the focus of local and national notice no matter where he goes, and, barring some miraculous trade, he won't be playing with anyone of Jordan's caliber.

But, as Brown found out from his own roller-coaster experience, where he has played sensationally for a few games and looked lost in others, James' game isn't likely to immediately inspire favorable comparisons to those of Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant or Tracy McGrady, three others who took the leap to the NBA from high school.

"I liked what I saw," Brown said of James' recent ESPN2 appearance. "But it's high school. It's a lot different game, but I think he'll do fine. I don't think he'll be a bad player at all. ... I don't think he's in for a rude awakening so much as the scouts that are saying that he's ready for the NBA game are. He's definitely going to have to learn to play this game."

Bob and Mike?

Jordan, who is presumed to be returning as president of the Wizards after this season, was quick to shoot down any speculation that he might team up with owner Robert Johnson with the new Charlotte franchise that is due to start play in the 2004-05 season.

"My obligation is here," Jordan said. "I'm not entertaining any positions or any other situations in Charlotte. My responsibilities have always been to the Wizards, and that's the way it's going to stay."

But there are plenty of reasons a marriage between Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television who is poised to become the first African-American majority owner in major North American sports, and Jordan makes sense.

For Johnson - who is leading the efforts to build a massive hotel here in Baltimore as well as attempting to land a baseball franchise in his native Washington - bringing on Jordan, the ultimate son of North Carolina, would buttress him against charges of being an absentee owner. Also, Jordan, one of the richest athletes on the American sports scene, would be a nice minority investor.

Jordan might not want to play prodigal son, but he tried to buy into the Hornets after his second retirement in 1998. Owner George Shinn wouldn't cede control of the franchise, a decision he probably rues now, but Johnson likely would let Jordan be the public face of the team.

Most importantly, Jordan would have a chance to shape a franchise from the ground up, with few if any concerns of whether he could spend money, something that will always be near the surface with Wizards owner Abe Pollin, who is on record as saying that he will not pay a luxury tax.

The Jordan-Johnson marriage seems like it's made in heaven.

Quiz

The Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings will meet in the second game of a Wednesday doubleheader, placing impressive Christmas Day records on the line (Lakers, 18-10; Kings, 17-10).

Which team has the best Christmas Day record, by percentage, and which has the worst? Hint, these teams met in the NBA Finals in the 1970s.

Life of Riley

The relative wrist-slap fine of $50,000 meted out to Miami coach Pat Riley for his blast last week against officials says that either the concept of free speech isn't dead in the NBA, or that there may have been something to his contention that referees have it in for him and the Heat.

Riley let loose with a calm and composed but stinging assault on the league's officiating crew, saying that the referees were taking glee in Miami's downturn. In particular, Riley called out Steve Javie, thought to be one of the most fearless officials in the game, who, according to Riley, said last season that he was taking special pleasure in the Heat's dismal play.

The league, which usually acts quickly on matters that could lead to fines and suspensions, waited four days before announcing the fine, which is one-tenth the amount of the last fine Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban got for criticizing officials. True, Cuban's remarks are part of a pattern, but he never attacked the personal integrity of the referees, as Riley did.

Riley's statements have placed the NBA in a difficult situation. How, now, can the league assign Javie to call a Miami game? Can he make a tough call in a tight situation against Miami without it looking as though he is trying to stick it to Riley and the Heat? Riley's entitled to his opinion, but that one should have drawn at least a $100,000 fine and a suspension.

Quiz answer

The Wizards/Bullets/Chicago Packers are 14-6 on Christmas Day, while the Seattle SuperSonics are winless in 10 tries. The Bullets and Sonics split Finals appearances in 1977 and 1978.

Quote

"You know, that's how they are in Canada. They don't really know basketball. They just come out and watch. They don't know if they're watching polo or lolo." - Washington forward Charles Oakley, when asked about his reaction to Raptors fans failing to give Jordan a standing ovation on his last appearance in Toronto.

Compiled from interviews, wire services and reports from other newspapers.