Still Hating On LeBron James??

“This is very overwhelming to me as an individual award. But this is not the award I want, ultimately. I want that championship. That’s all that matters to me.”

Over the weekend LeBron James picked up his third MVP award in the NBA.  After watching some of his acceptance speech it occurred to me this man has grown up.  There was a sense of awkwardness, dare I say humility, LeBron displayed after realizing he is now on a very short list of NBA players that have won at least 3 MVP awards.  He is also the only man on that list without an NBA ring on his finger.  The pressure that LeBron James is feeling has humbled this man and that might be the best thing to happen to one of the games greatest players. 

LeBron James went from NBA darling to NBA villain seemingly over a summer.  Nobody wanted LeBron to have success in Miami, unless of course, you lived in South Florida.  Why?  Have you been following the sports world the past few years ?  Comparatively speaking, LeBron James is a saint. 

Look around the landscape of sports, and you’ll soon realize what LeBron James isn’t, is what makes him quite likable.  LeBron James doesn’t throw elbows at players heads (Ron Artest).  LeBron James would never say ‘close out games are easy.’ (Andrew Bynum).  He isn’t a flopper (Blake Griffin).  LeBron James doesn’t have 4 kids from 4 difference women (Terrell Owens).  LeBron would never take a gameday off because of soreness, only to be caught on the golf course the next day.  (Josh Beckett).  He’s never brought a gun to a nightclub (Plaxico Burress), text naked photos of his ‘johnson’ to Heat employees (Brett Favre).  LeBron never used his pull within the Heat front office to hire some female “friend”, only to get busted on a motorcycle joy ride, and then lie about it to Heat owner Mickey Arison (Bobby Petrino).  Ok, you get the picture.  Unless I’m missing something, the last time LeBron James got in trouble off the court was back in 2008 when he got a speeding ticket in Cleveland.  On the court, I can’t remember the last time he was suspended for game, if ever. 

If the worst thing LeBron James ever did as an NBA player was hold a 1-hour television special to announce he was signing with the Miami Heat, then I’d say he should rank pretty high on the Q rating of athletes….but he doesn’t.  Yes, for that one moment (‘The Decision’), he exercised poor judgement, but clearly he has learned from that experience.  That was evident this past weekend as he accepted his 3rd MVP award. 

Looking back on that day when LeBron announced he was signing with the Heat, many fans and basketball experts said he was taking the easy way out to a championship.  Now, almost two seasons later, LeBron didn’t choose the easy road, he chose the road of expectations.  With expectations comes pressure.  He could have stayed in Cleveland and win or lose, he wouldn’t have felt as much pressure to win it all.  Fans could have always blamed Cavs ownership for not surrounding him with the right supporting cast.  In choosing Miami, a franchise that already won a ring with D.Wade, LeBron is expected to win multiple championships.  So did he really choose the easy way out?

There is a saying, “It’s not the destination, but the journey that matters.”  Words have never been more true for one LeBron James.  If the Miami Heat win a championship this year, LeBron can exhale.  The journey will have been worth it.  Sure, he made some enemies, but after watching him accept the MVP Award this past weekend, it’s clear to me, he’s become a better man along the way.