It is established that he is the world’s greatest athlete, an embraced superstar globally, a godlike puppet that revised a dormant sports town with his explosive and unstoppable force. His humorous baby powder toss display impels the roused crowd and specified an instinctive athlete and well-rounded star in the game that has developed a global icon, who dunks in style and makes psychedelic game-winning shots. LeBron James is a prototype of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, but a slight difference is that each of those two has earned their share of titles and represents better sportsmanship.
Earlier this decade, Bryant amassed three titles with Shaquille O'Neal during the Lakers' mind-blowing dynasty, generating parity that was arguably the greatest powerful tandem, until it annihilated into a grotesque divorce. While most admired the game for Jordan, he didn't accomplish six titles alone, with a tenacious supporting cast delivering in backbreaking situations. There was sidekick Scottie Pippen and clutch sharpshooter Steve Kerr, who made breathtaking shots as time expired when Jordan was defended tightly with no space to launch heroics.
Companions that James was missing in Cleveland as the abysmal cast languished in a propitious season, when premature Nike ads of LeBron as a puppet drew national attention. Before Nike’s creativity hijacked ad time, he was named NBA’s Most Valuable Player and relived high school memories, generously addressing and sharing accolades with childhood friends, relatives, natives and class alumnus at former high school in Akron, Ohio as a generous leader, a sportsmanlike leader. But at the completion of Saturday night’s ending to a collapsing series of Game 6 in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cavs was eliminated in a 103-90 loss to the Orlando Magic and James showed unsportsmanlike conduct that many of us never envisioned from the global icon, a demeanor that isn’t MVP or icon respectable. Though, you must realize he was upset after an unproductive cast let him down, but it still was inexcusable to walk off the court without acknowledging and shaking hands with Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic.
Unsurprisingly, he walked straight off the court as the Magic celebrated. None of you should have been surprise, if you saw the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago when the Cavs loss to Boston. He walked off the court immediately following game seven without shaking hands. But in courtesy, at least James could have showed respect and proper sportsmanship in a losing cause. I understand he was disgusted, shocked and overwhelmingly disappointed. Still, it was no excuse and he should have stayed within the sports ritual in giving props to his opponents with a friendly shake. Do many understand this could sort of smudge his image, and realize this attitude could ruin the way populace admires him? Even if he’s the King of puppet ads, VitimanWater ads, all humanity that strictly demanded and persuaded the world in welcoming a Kobe-LeBron showdown or even if he is feeling and pondering on what the future has in stored, learning that a championship might never happen in his native town, it was mishandled in an amateurish manner.
It tells us James hasn’t grown up in all respects, though he’s the team leader, MVP and historic shot maker, only at the age of 24. Guess that’s lots of growth at a young age from aptitude viewpoints. But from personal standpoints, James needs refined advice of how to shake opponents hands and handle failures precisely the way a man is supposed to, not as if he is a perplex kid without knowing his obligations as a leader and premier figure of the league in the mere future. Much of James’ erroneous mistake has formulated a controversy that some think is blown out of proportion.
But here’s why it’s not.
It’s a big deal with him being a superstar, eulogized globally and next player to amplify into league’s future catalyst, marketer of the next generation, including the next star to possess as a symbolic profile of the NBA. Yes, it is an immeasurable issue, especially making it worst for addressing the media a day following his apathetic and insensitive personality that assuredly corroborated an unapologetic James to allege that congratulating isn’t complied after fallen against opponents, with childish responses speaking to the media and reappearing after vanishing from the public, expressed feelings negligently. “It’s hard for me to congratulate somebody after you lose to them,” a downcast James said Sunday, a day after his subpar performance of 8-for-20 shooting and 25 points in 45 minutes as the Cavs were ousted. “I’m a winner. It’s not about being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you’re not going to congratulate them."
Oh no, sorry James I will congratulate if beaten horrendously by my opponent what harm is that. “That doesn’t make sense to me.” Why because you lost against a team much more efficient, championship-starved and ambitious? What doesn’t make sense is James waits to a day reaches dawn and into the next morning before anyone heard from the team leader. Also, it doesn’t make sense for a team leader not to address the media during a postgame news conference.
If James calls himself a virtuous leader, he must ensure role and commit to pledge by addressing the media immediately following the frustrating lost and tip his Yankees cap to the Magic for playing a much-masterly series than the Cavs. If you watched Sportscenter Monday afternoon, you saw him wearing his Yankees cap, sharing his reasoning with reporters when he said, “I’m a competitor. That’s what I do. It doesn’t make sense for me to go over and shake somebody’s hand.” Come on LeBron, you’re a better competitor than that. There are many competitors out there and anytime they lose a meaningful playoff series, they take a few moments and walk to their competitors, acknowledging them for playing better and wishes good luck.
At least that’s how a true leader reacts, a true competitor.
Come on LeBron, man up to failures.
