Lebron James Worthy of the Throne?
Is "King" James Really King of the Court?
Is Lebron James an overrated media sensation or legitimate all-time great?
Lebron James pronounced himself "King" before he ever stepped foot on the NBA Hardwood. In addition, Sports Illustrated named him "The Chosen One" while he was just a junior in high school. His high school games were broadcast live on ESPN, where he first revealed the infamous mouthpiece, declaring himself "King James."
Without doubt, James is a extraordinary physical specimen, but the comparisons to all-time greats should end there. The casual sports fan probably believes Lebron James is the best player in the NBA, which is truly a shame, and disrespectful to much more deserving super-stars. This is mostly due to the national media, particularly ESPN, sensationalizing everything "King James" does, while not holding him accountable for the numerous mistakes he has made. Due to the ridiculous media frenzy, James himself believes he is better than he actually is. Having the audacity to refer to yourself in 3rd person and compare yourself and Paul Pierce to Domonique Wilkins and Larry Bird is proposterous.
Besides his irrelevant numbers of 30 points, 8 boards, and 8 assists a game, what evidence is there of an all-time, game-changing, heroic figure in "King James?" There is none. He is an average shooter at best, a questionable leader, and comes up short in crunch time regularly. But because of everything the league and the media put into this figure, naming him the next great thing, everyone is reluctant to admit they were wrong.
The 2008-2009 season will be James' sixth year, but for some unknown reason, sports writers and commentators deflect Lebron's struggles to youth, and a weak supporting cast. This is a cop out and is really disrespectful to Lebron's teammates, but "King James" follows suit, blaming his "troops" for everything and never taking sole responsibility for anything. Is that the sign of a great leader? Would M.J. do that? Absolutely not.
People say it is unfair to compare Lebron James to Jordan or others, but it isn't. The media and James himself have brought that pressure to the forefront by presenting himself as the best. But if he was really the player him and the majority of the media think he is, he would thank players such as Wally, Delonte, and Zydrunas for bailing him out in several games, especially during the playoffs. James is obviously petrified of missing the game-winning shot, and either passes the pressure off to a teammate, or bull-rushes his way to the basket and cries for a petty foul. Lebron James has NEVER made a game-winning buzzer-beater. Something the other greats, particularly Michael Jordan, did on a regular basis.
Lebron has been the most pampered and protected athlete in the history of sports. His whining during the Wizards series should not have come as a surprise. He recieves special treatment from referees that should be reserved for champions. There are very few members of the media who have stepped up and challenged James. The most notorious is ESPN First Take Analyst, Skip Bayless. Skip gives credit when credit is do, but is one of the few national media members not afraid to question Lebron's intangibles,clutch-play, shooting, and leadership ability. Skip is unfairly bullied on the show by those who are obviously less informed, such as disgruntled Cav-fan and Lebron-lover, ESPN First Take Host Jay Crawford.
Lebron James is certainly an all-star and talented baller, but to live up to his own expectations he needs to grow up fast, and lose the huge ego. If Lebron James ever wants to be "King" and considered one of the best, he must become more responsible and accountable for himself and his team.
