I must begin this blog by saying LeBron James is NOT a SELLOUT!!! I say this because this is the term that has been thrown around by some people who feel exactly the way I felt when I heard the speculation that King James might possibly be considering going back to the team that he scorned, and to the owner and fans that treated him as a runaway slave.
Some sports writers, like Jason Whitlock (who wrote this article http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11199270/whitlock-lebron-james-pride-not-most-important-factor) felt like LeBron shouldn't let pride get in the way of him returning to his hometown, in spite of what Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert wrote about him when he left for the Miami Heat in 2010. Others, like J.A. Adande (who wrote this article http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11194890/how-lebron-james-play-dan-gilbert) felt like James would and should have had a hard time going back to work for the owner who called him "a coward" for leaving an inept franchise who really didn't appreciate what they had in the basketball talent that is LeBron James. As I am not a sports writer, I do not have the access that these men have to that world. But I will say this: they are both right.
But it doesn't matter that one person says LeBron should consider power and progress over pride while another questions why going back to Cleveland is even on LeBron's mind. What matters is that LeBron made this decision because he felt it was best for him and his family. He will, reportedly, take less money than Chris Bosh's 5 years and $118 million (James' contract will be for just 2 years and $42 million but will be re-negotiated after the current collective bargaining agreement expires). He will be coming into a situation that is a little bit better than the situation he left Cleveland for the first time and potentially better than what he was facing if he stayed in Miami. Las Vegas has Cleveland being 4-1 favorites to reach the NBA finals next season. So it is safe to say that when it comes to basketball, Cleveland seems to be in pretty good shape on paper now that they have an older and wiser LeBron James back in a Cavaliers jersey.
LeBron said his reasons for going back to the city he started in and then dissed ('The Decision' led to fans burning his jersey and to Dan Gilbert writer a scathing open letter to James that was recently removed from the Cav's website) were bigger than basketball. He thought about his wife being pregnant with their third child and how it would be to raise his family in his hometown of Akron, OH. He thought about the things he had started in that community before he moved on to Miami. He said that he wanted to be an example to the kids of Northeast Ohio of being able to come from the same streets that he came from and be a success. He wanted to be like other successful individuals who put their money back into the communities from which they came. He said he knew he'd return to Cleveland someday to finish his career. The fact that all this is happening after just four years and two championships in Miami shows just what type of person LeBron is and how much he has matured since he left. Many sportswriters have said that James' decision to leave Cleveland in the first place was because he may not have been ready for or may not have wanted the responsibility of carrying a franchise at such a young age. In his letter announcing his return (http://www.si.com/nba/2014/07/11/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers), LeBron said that he's ready to lead and mentor the youg supporting cast that he will now be playing with. With experiencing what it takes to win a championship, he feels he has something to impart to to his new team mates that he didn't have the opportunity to impart to his Miami counterparts. He said Miami "already knew that feeling" of winning championships and that he wanted to bring that feeling to Cleveland, who hasn't had a major sports championship since the Cleveland Browns won the, pre Super Bowl era, NFL Championship in 1964. So LeBron, after getting his rings, has what he feels is a bigger challenge ahead of him. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone who disagrees with that notion. But I feel like, when it comes to the game of basketball, LeBron may be trying to carve his own niche. Being compared to Micheal Jordan is usually a case of who has more rings. The comparisons don't stop there. Jordan has never lost in the NBA Finals. LeBron has lost twice. Jordan three-peated twice and could have possibly won six or more championships in a row had he not retired for one season and spent the next getting back into championship shape. So while LeBron cannot stack up against Jordan in those areas, he may end up doing something greater than his childhood idol never did. One championship in Cleveland may be the trump card that pushes James past Jordan when it comes individual accomplishments. Maybe it won't. But James' legacy will be set apart, in that along with all his statistical accomplishments, he'll have 'franchise savior' added to his profile. And he would have done so in the place where he grew up.
We tend to place a heavy burden on our professional athletes. In the 90's many fans criticized Micheal Jordan because he avoided speaking out about political and social issues. Jordan felt like it wasn't his place to speak on matters that affected him marginally because of who he was and his financial status. Today's players are more outspoken and their views, positive or negative, are dispensed quickly through social media. James was at the forefront of the labor dispute during the 2011 NBA lockout when owners wanted to limit superstar players ability to align themselves together to chase championships. He joined his teammates in silent protest when they posed for a team photograph wearing hoodies in support of Trayvon Martin, the Florida teenager who was gunned down by George Zimmerman on his way home from the store. James said he felt obligated to take a stand on that matter because he has two young boys of his own. He spoke out loudly against Donald Sterling when his views were made public, saying that the league had no place for people like Donald Sterling. It was even rumored that he was ready to lead a league wide boycott during this year's playoffs if the league didn't act swiftly enough in handling the case (the rumor was later proven to be just that). So it's easy to see why many of us were shocked when James decided to leave what seemed to be a sure thing in contending for a championship with the Heat for redemption with his hometown Cavs. But as the smoke has cleared and with seeing how James handled what is being dubbed 'The Decision 2.0, I understand a little better why he's going back. Sometimes a person's own goals are bigger than the conduit in which those goals are attained. Sometimes, an individual has to overlook things in order to see the big picture. One of my favorite quotes of all time, from the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." In this case, LeBron James feels like the needs of his family, the fans of the Cavaliers and the youth of the area he grew up in, outweigh any personal needs, feelings or accomplishments that he may have on the court. And that truly is admirable.
While guys like Carmelo Anthony weigh money over championships (and get criticized for it, regardless of the options laid before them, but I will get to that in my very next blog!), LeBron is a global icon with the opportunity to become bigger than the sport that has made him famous. While other athletes have been able to take advantage of playing in college and developing the friendships and bonds that come with that experience, James has had to find different ways to balance out his basketball playing career. He brought his high school team mates along with him, employing them in his LRMR Management company, most notably his agent Rich Paul and his business manager, Maverick Carter. He took his opportunity in Miami and forged lifelong bonds with Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade. He likened that experience to the college life he never had. Now, it seems, is LeBron's time to be, not just the best player in the NBA, but also the role model and mentor he feels like he is now ready to be. With his new sidekicks Kyrie Irving and, for now, fellow #1 draft pick Adrew Wiggins, LeBron is ready to show the NBA and the fans of Cleveland what they didn't get a chance to see the first time around. A more mature, seasoned and most importantly, better equipped LeBron James put the Cavs on his back and carry them to the NBA promised land, with a little bit more help. If he can do that, then when the greats of the game are mentioned, King James will be mentioned separately and alone, distinctly and without reservation, as the best in his own right.
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