Since entering the NBA as a high school graduate in 2003, LeBron James has redefined what it means to be a true superstar.
“There is a lot of pressure put on me, but I don’t put a lot of pressure on myself. I feel if I play my game, it will take care of itself,” James has said.
With his dominance, however, has come plenty of hatred over his actions and an enormous amount of “pressure,” both on and off the basketball court.
I respect LeBron for what he’s accomplished on the court. With a career statline of 27.2 points per game, 6.9 assists per game, and 7.1 rebounds per game, LeBron-in his twelve years in the league-has earned each and every penny of the $126 million in team salary alone that he has received for his play.
A first overall draft pick, LeBron was selected by his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers and immediately began contributing to his squad, winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 2004.
His first stint in Cleveland, a seven year reign, saw LeBron take home hardware including NBA All-Star selections and even the NBA MVP Award as well as make a name for himself off the court.
Because of his success story and the various accolades he received as a result of his on-court play, LeBron became the face of the NBA through endorsements by companies like Nike and McDonalds, as well as achieving fame throughout the celebrity community. He has hosted several award shows and starred in films such as “Trainwreck” and “More Than a Game.”
Despite all these wonderful achievements–achievements that have made LeBron one of the most influential athletes alive today, and also (according to ESPN) the third best basketball player of all time–LeBron has received an abnormal amount of flak from basketball fans or observers since he departed from Cleveland in 2010 to join the Miami Heat.
“The Decision,” or the nationally televised TV special where LeBron announced his decision to leave his hometown and beloved Cavaliers to head to Miami to form “The Big 3” with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, was the point in LeBron’s career where he became the scapegoat that he is today.
I can recall the moment I heard that LeBron was leaving the Cavs for the Heat. While I never followed the NBA that often, I was blown away by the fact that the man who symbolized hope and optimism for a city like Cleveland could run away from the pressure to chase championships in another city.
By running away from the expectations and leaving the place where he was expected to be “the guy,” the man who held the basketball world and all of American sports in the palm of his hand became the most hated athlete in sports.
LeBron won two championships with Miami before his contract expired and he returned back to Cleveland, but his reputation has never returned to its former glory.
The self-proclaimed “King” who is even considered “the chosen one” is undeniably one of the best players the nation and the world has ever seen.
He has been compared to Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, and now young players are drawing comparisons to him. Anyone you ask will know who “LeBron” is, and his aggressive, physical playing style (attributed to his size and unparalleled strength) has redefined the game for players, both young and old.
So why does one of the greatest players ever get so much hate?
LeBron has been roasted for everything from his receding hairline to his frequent whining to referees, but players like James Harden or Kobe Bryant even–who both are superstars in this day and age–who act the same way are often treated with less malice than LeBron.
LeBron is the scapegoat of our generation because he has been the center of attention on the basketball since he made national news as a skinny, high-flying teenager in Akron, Ohio.
Because everything he says or does gets blown up by news outlets (and social media platforms), anything he says or does gets blown out of proportion.
Due to the combination of LeBron being a drama queen and being so hyped because of his super-human abilities on the basketball court, he has been hated with such an intensity that his ego and character depend on more than just what he produces on the stat sheet.
Do his accomplishments take away from his play? Absolutely not.
It is a testament to his devotion to the game and his physical attributes that he has performed so well for so long.
But with a new generation of stars rising, like Steph Curry or Kristaps Porzingis, perhaps it’s time for LeBron to begin turning the podium over to the future, and give up his place on the throne of the NBA.