Lebron James continues to be one of the most unlikable superstars in the sports world. It’s amazing how a player with such unique and gifted talents continues to show that it’s not about the team and it’s all about him.
Let’s start with this: Lebron James is the perfect example of a self-centered athlete. He cares so much about his image that he will put his own teammates down just to pump himself up. Basically, he’s the anti-Larry Bird and the anti-Magic Johnson. With those great players, the team always came first. These players would criticize their own play and not the team’s. If the team failed, it was on them as the leaders. But no, not the great Lebron. When things go south, the finger pointing starts. It’s never his fault.
Disagree? Well, let’s take a step back and then look at Lebron’s latest example.
Lebron James has been to the NBA Finals in six consecutive seasons. Six. His teams have won three championships in that span. His team’s have been littered with top-end talent on team’s that he created. Last year, he led one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history by coming back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals against one of the best team’s in NBA history in the Golden State Warriors. He was on top of the sports world once again. So, Lebron was an NBA champion last year. Do you know what’s interesting about that? Lebron got his coach fired last year. Yep. As soon as David Blatt’s system wasn’t Lebron’s preference, he was gone. Lebron’s way or the highway…
So, now the defending champions face the smallest bit of adversity by losing six of eight games in January and what does Lebron do? He steps up and gets his teammates to play better? No. He takes a leadership role and holds a team meeting to raise the team’s level of play? No. He puts the team on his back and wins? None of the above.
Instead, Lebron criticizes management for the team they have put together. A championship team! Remember, this is a team that has Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love on it. These are two players who are All-Stars basically every season. Not good enough? No. Not for Lebron. If Lebron loses, then his team must not be good enough.
In the history of the NBA, there have been players who would do anything to play with players like Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. Charles Barkley and Karl Malone never won a championship. How do you think they would have done on a team with Love and Irving? They would have been very happy to play on a team with those two players. But, not Lebron. Lebron wants the Cavs to trade for Carmelo Anthony so there can be another option to make the big shot that Lebron can’t make. You know, like Kyrie did last year.
What’s next for Lebron? Ask for a trade to Golden State?
Let’s stop the Lebron talk in the all-time greats conversation once and for all. The all-time great players are also leaders which Lebron is far from. He’s the definition of a front runner. He can’t handle adversity. He will never be Michael Jordan. When the going got tough, MJ raised his game. He didn’t complain to management about the roster and get his coach fired.
He will never be Larry Bird. He will never be Magic Johnson.
Instead, he’s just Lebron James.