I lost all respect for LeBron James tonight. All of it. At the beginning of the free agency period, Bill Simmons wrote an article that essentially said that the whole world would know what truly mattered most to LBJ: winning (he’s in Chicago), immortality (off to NY), or loyalty (staying with Cleveland). Instead, he chose, as Simmons put it so eloquently earlier today, “HELP!’
Every player who steps on the basketball court wants to win, I have played my whole life, I understand that. What I don’t understand, where are LeBron’s balls? Can you imagine Jordan telling Chi-town “I woke up this morning, called my mom, she wants me to be happy so I am going to go play with Larry Bird in Boston.” Or “I’m friends with Magic, I’ve decided to go join him in LA, hear it’s nice out there.” That would have been unthinkable. Instead Jordan’s attitude was to be the guy; he was going to take whoever was around him and win at all costs. He went down as the greatest ever. What does LeBron want to go down as? If it is something on the same level as Jordan, why isn’t he following the blueprint? It doesn’t matter if the Heat win the championship four times, which I do not think they will, a team centered around Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh is automatically a contender. Wade already won one without LBJ. Therefore, LeBron, who supposedly is super-concerned with is image and legacy, will never go down in the books as anything more than an amazing talent. He could have had something more; I wanted him to have something more. Stay in Cleveland, man up, and take your long heartbroken hometown to heights so high they rename the city after you. Go to New York and resurrect basketball on the biggest stage, with the most pressure, in the best arena, become immortal. If nothing else, go to Chicago and start the “who was better, Jordan or LeBron” argument by winning six titles as the sole superstar on the team. With all those options, LeBron, you go to Miami to become.. what? What are you becoming?
On that note, I’d like to delve into the Miami situation more. Dwyane Wade owns the Heat, there is no questioning that. The perpetrator of Miami-Wade County isn’t running up to LBJ’s abode to hand over the keys to South Beach any time soon. This team can go one of two ways – the two can fight over the alpha dog role on the team while Bosh yelps in the background that he would also like some shots, or James can become a glorified Scottie Pippen. LeBron is actually suited, personality wise at least, to be a great glorified-Pippen. But was that what was on his mind when free agency hit this summer; “Friends, where can I go to be the next Scottie Pippen?” DWade is the unmistakable king of Miami. LeBron doesn’t have the attitude required to dethrone him but is heading south anyways – The National Basketball Association, David Stern, friends and family, I introduce to you Queen James!
Lastly, the Cleveland situation must be addressed. Does LeBron have a heart? We have, indeed, often wondered if he was human when watching on him on the court; this curiosity is now piqued to a new level. How could any homo sapien work for a month to build up tension, orchestrate a primetime hour-long special on ESPN, and then tell the city he grew up with, the most grief-stricken city in American sports, that he is ditching them for his friends and some possible titles on the beach? I hate to keep quoting Simmons, wait I love to keep quoting Simmons, anyways as he tweeted, that is “an unprecedented Eff You.” If LeBron knew Cleveland was not going to be the choice, why would he make such a spectacle of the situation? It’s, narcissistic, cold-hearted, disgusting. It’s shocking, really. Not only is it the team that drafted him and brought him to the point he is today, it’s his hometown! For someone with blood that icy running through his veins, you’d expect a few clutch shots in the playoffs.
[Next segment to be read by Morgan Freeman.]
King Wade, Queen James, Prince Bosh, monarchy of Miami: Derrick Rose and a band of outlaws are rumored to running around up north, a tight-knit crew led by Kevin Durant are said to be on the prowl in the West, LakerLand, controlled by Zen-Master Phil and the stealthy warrior Kobe, own the NBA dynasty that you want. I wish you the best – may the wind be always at your back, may the rain fall softly upon your fields…. Actually, take that all back; I hate you.
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