Is LeBron James a victim?
Why the superstar's critics should take it easy . . . for now
May 29, 2007
The legacy of LeBron James is not at stake in the 2007 NBA Playoffs. He has become the victim of his own stardom in this win-now world of professional sports, and the fans and writers and worshipers who criticize and praise the superstar's every move need to take a long hard look at the history books before judging.
Whether James is destined for the ranks of the greatest NBA winners has yet to be determined, but using the 2007 NBA Playoffs as a microcosm for what he has achieved and his future achievement is naive. A few years down the road, maybe basketball historians can take a look in the rear view mirror and analyze James' place in NBA legend. But it is too soon to be talking about that sort of thing and TV analysts and sportswriters eager to provide the final say on LeBron's destiny are moving hastily and irresponsibly.
Here's what we do know: James is a physically and mentally precocious 22-year-old, who has put up better numbers in his first few years than most of his predecessors did in the same time frame. His passing and one-on-one dominance are among the best in the NBA, but his shooting is sub par. He has not won a championship, and he has not proven that he possesses the rare ability to rise to the occasion that most legends hold.
In recent days, James, when given the opportunity for the final shot in the Eastern Conference Finals vs. the Detroit Pistons, has taken two different paths, and he has been ripped both times. In Game 1, James decided to pass the ball in the waning seconds, and the uproar in the aftermath shook the stadium and the TV airwaves, as ESPN decided to tee off on the subject. In Game 2, James, with his team down by one point, ran the clock down to about seven seconds (a mistake by Cleveland coach Mike Brown, you want to extend the game at that point) and then drove to the basket. James used the left hand in the initial move, then spun back to his right. Hamilton hammered him on the way up, and the loud no-call from the officials left James in the dust.
Yes, James could have made some better decisions down the stretch. In Game 2, his spin move on the smaller Hamilton didn't exploit his height advantage, as he leaped toward the sideline instead of elevating to the rim. But the kid shouldn't be crucified for these borderline errors.
After all, the greats of the game got wins in all shapes and sizes. What if John Paxton and Steve Kerr didn't hit their buzzer beaters? Would Michael Jordan have been on the hot seat? What about Larry Bird passing off to Dennis Johnson in the waning seconds of the series with the Pistons? Would everyone be questioning Larry Legend?
The problem with talking about James and his legacy right now is the presence of ‘ifs’. There isn’t any way of knowing where he stands in the basketball world without years and opportunities under his belt. In the age of instant-everything, fans and analysts and writers are in such a hurry to put this 22-year-old kid in a larger context.
Let’s just relax for a while. Check back in a couple of years and maybe we’ll be talking about a different player.
