The Decision?

So if you were like me and countless of other basketball fans, you were no doubt held hostage by ESPN’s coverage of the circus surrounding LeBron James’ “Decision”. For those of you who might have been living under a rock for the past three months or so, let me get you caught up to date: Cleveland Cavalier, LeBron James, was a pending free agent at the end of the 2010 NBA season. His services were being courted by the likes of the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, and Miami Heat just to name a few.

Much speculation was being made by fans, media and every kind of pundit this side of the Milky Way. Free agency is a way of life in all professional sports. I can live with that. It is, after all, a business; A very lucrative business at that. What gets me most about this whole “decision” is the fact that it was fabricated to bring unnecessary attention to all parties involved: ESPN, LRMR, and of course, LeBron James. It became a circus that a lot of people saw right through. I don’t understand how ESPN can justify an hour of prime-time television for a five second statement.

To make matters worse, James chose pretty much everything about the event to even who would conduct the interview. I say interview loosely because watching James give calculated, almost seemingly scripted answers was as tedious as watching a slug die from salt poisoning. Of all the people he could have chosen to conduct the interview, he chose Jim Grey. Jim Grey. I’ll give pause as you ponder…

Everything about the events of last night screams egomaniac. I know a lot of you will cry about the egos of such NBA stars as Kobe, Shaq, D-Wade and KG. Sure, you need some ego to be great at your craft. Lord, don’t get me started on the diva personalities of NFL wide-outs Terrell Owens, Chad Ocho Cinco or Randy Moss. Again, you need a certain amount of ego to be good at your given profession. Here is where LeBron loses me: His need for attention outweighs his need for a championship.

LeBron is without a doubt, the single most physically gifted athlete in the NBA. His size, strength and skill are hardly matched. What separates him from say, Kobe, is that thing between his ears and the organ in the center of his chest. His mind is too much on himself and his longing to be a “global icon” or whatever that means. He hardly has the heart of a leader, much less a champion. If you need proof, you only need look at the playoff series he had against the Boston Celtics in which he basically gave up.

People watching the decision debacle will agree that too much is given to the man who anointed himself king. Ask people from Akron, where James is from, to the twelfth guy on the bench and you’ll see that everything Cavalier owner, Dan Gilbert, did was to cater to every want and whim of his prized player. How will this all work in Miami where you basically have three alpha-males in Dwayne Wade, Chirs Bosh and now, LeBron?

On paper, the new “Big Three” looks like a championship contender. I, however, disagree. For one, Bosh hasn’t won anything outside of tallest dude in Toronto contest. He is prone to injury and worst of all; he’s a big man who doesn’t like to bang in the paint. Teams with big front lines, like Orlando and Boston will kill Miami in the post and on the boards. Also, when the time comes for a big shot in the final seconds of the game, who is going to take that shot? Will LeBron concede to Wade or vice versa? I don’t know but I doubt LeBron or his ego can handle being Robin to D-Wade’s Batman.

Here’s a suggestion to LeBron and his ego. Make a conscious decision to be a complete professional basketball player. Don’t worry about becoming a global icon or promoting your brand. Championships will help solidify all that. How about instead of surrounding yourself with “yes men” surround yourself with people who can tell you how it is and show you how to be a true professional; Guys like Grant Hill, Derek Fisher and even as much as I hate to say, Ray Allen. These are guys who spend not only tireless hours in the gym but draw the respect and admiration from their peers because of not only how they play the game but how they RESPECT the game.

Even for all those people who criticize Kobe, as I have been known to do, you got to respect how he has matured as a player and continue to evolve as a player and student of the game. Does he have an ego? Of course but he respects the game too much to try and brand himself as an icon or endorsement conglomerate.

Take a cue from the captain of your favorite baseball team, the New York Yankees. Derek Jeter is the quintessential leader and champion. I don’t like the Yankees but I sure as hell admire Derek Jeter for the way he plays and respects the game of baseball. John Wooden, RIP, yes THE John Wooden, had stated that baseball was his favorite sport and that Jeter was his favorite player. Why…because he appreciated the way he played the game. The greatest coach in American sports history admired the captain of the baseball team LeBron supposedly backs. Two of the greatest champions at their craft are actually considered global icons without as much a word of “I” or “me” but always about “team”. Check into it LeBron.

Victor Ramireze for Skinnie Magazine