I’ve never been a huge fan of Lebron James (although I am the first to admit that he is in the conversation when discussing the greatest of all time).
The manner in which he left Cleveland by way of “the Decision” left a bad taste in my mouth, and reeked of the new mentality of athletes who demand (and get) the attention of the media. It set the standard of how young athletes would act and today, even high school players hold press conferences today to inform the public of their decision to attend a university. I can only imagine Lebron, several years ago holding a presser to announce that he was taking his talents to Duke, or Kentucky or Akron.
All of this aside, I’m converting to the notion that Lebron is a pretty special athlete and human being, worthy of the attention he gets and, perhaps, in some ways, not getting his complete due.
LeBron James (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
The numbers speak for themselves. He is averaging just under 46 minutes a games, 35.8 point, 12 rebounds and 8.3 assists. Don’t buy the rhetoric that Dellavedova and Tristan Thompson are stars in the making. James is playing with 4 other guys named Who. Even though Golden State has played poorly in 2 of the games, this series would have been over but for the efforts of Lebron. I still think Golden State wins the title, but Lebron James has earned my respect and should have earned the respect of basketball fans everywhere.
He has not had the benefit accorded most superstars by getting the benefit calls by the officiating crew and I could make a case that he has been hijacked throughout the finals by defenders constantly smacking him without the referees calling the fouls appropriately. His drive to the basket at the end of regulation time in game 2 was a perfect example of him being smacked at least 2 times with the refs turning off their whistles in the dying moments. His help defense has been outstanding and his passing has made average players look very good. He is the one Cav, who every time he gets the ball, he is a threat to either score or pass to someone else who will. He has been a one man team, who has made this series interesting and even if Cleveland loses, he will have, once again, proven his greatness.
Throw in the charitable work he does through his foundation which he has, among other things developed a mentoring program, called Wheels For Education, designed to help young kids identified as “at risk” of dropping out of school and one can see that the impact of Lebron James will continue far beyond this NBA final series. He has also been free from negative gossip that affected players like Michael Jordan and others. I don’t believe in comparing great players of different eras and arriving at a decision as to who is the greatest of all time, but I think it is only fair to say that Lebron James has stood up and demanded to be counted and deserves the respect of the basketball fan, whether they like or dislike the Cavs.
Harry James' love for sports began in his high school basketball days. Sadly, an injury meant he couldn't further his NBA dreams, but the hooper's loss is our gain as he then found journalism.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.