What Do You Think of LeBron James?

[DethMetal]

LeBron James is one of the most loved and hated players in the NBA today. Many see him as the greatest player in the NBA today. With the playoffs possibly a game away from being over, how do you basketball fans feel about LeBron James?

For the longest, I personally didn't care for Lebron. However, I did respect his ability as one of the best natural athletes today. However, for the past two years (ever since the decision), more and more people have hated Lebron James, including people who aren't even from Cleveland. I thought what LeBron did was pretty messed up.

And then I saw his speech for MVP not too long ago.

Two years after the decision, people still bash LeBron, and if you think about it, the way he went about leaving Cleveland is the only thing that he really has done wrong. If you listen to an interview with the dude, he seems to be one of the more selfless guys in sports right now. I'm not dismissing what he did, but I don't think that he deserves the heat that he gets. Furthermore, I'm hoping the Miami Heat wins the playoffs this year, not because I like the Heat, but because I want LeBron to finally win a championship and hopefully shut a few of his haters up.

So what do you think of LeBron?

 

[Poop Master Flex]

I admire his play, especially in these playoffs. Its hard to say now he doesn't deserve an NBA title (and I was someone who 2 short months ago didn't think he deserved one) with how he has carried himself and his team in the season and playoffs of 2011-2012.

Personally I don't like the guy, some of it isn't his fault some of it is. Lets go through what is his fault.

How he went to Miami always rubbed me the wrong way. I'm sorry but I don't agree with Lebron, Wade,and Bosh all getting together and deciding amongst themselves they will play together and win an NBA title together, which I think is bullshit. Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley said it themselves that they could have done the same thing but didn't because at the end of the day they just wanted to play and liked competing against each other and others trying to earn an NBA title for their team. James going to Miami is almost saying "I can't do it by myself and if I don't play as well as I should Wade or Bosh can bail me out" at least that's how it came off. I know Lebron wants an NBA title more than anything but he couldn't have went to Miami in a more classless way. What really did me in with Lebron though was after last years NBA Finals when the Heat lost to the Mavs. About 2-3 weeks later I heard an interview where he didn't take any responsibility for the Heat losing and basically said "God didn't want me to win", that pissed me off. Forget that Lebron played half as well as he could through the finals, forget personal responsibility, lets just blame everyone else because I can't admit to myself that I didn't show up to play and Dirk was simply better than me throughout the finals. These are 2 incidents' where Lebron came off as a classless bitch which turned me off from him. I don't care what he does in his personal life but it seems like he often takes the low road when he shouldn't.

Those are 2 examples why I don't like him from Lebron's doing. The other reason is the same reason I was cold to Sidney Crosby as well. Lebron was painted as the greatest basketball player ever before he ever played a single game in the NBA. Now that's not Lebron's fault but because of it I'm a lot harsher on Lebron than I probably should be. Also, I don't judge Lebron against others in the league, I judge him against the greatest players ever such as Kareem, Chamberlain, Bird, Johnson but mostly against who I consider the greatest of all time Michael Jordan.

So many times I've gotten into arguments with people coming to me saying Lebron is better than Michael and every time I hear that I want to kick that person's head in because I think its pure bullshit. I feel when Lebron went to Miami he basically admitted he wasn't as good as Jordan, Jordan won 6 NBA titles with the team he was drafted to and got there when the team was pure shit. Jordan helped build his team to some of the greatest that have ever played together. In the 90's his teams were great but no matter if they played poorly or amazingly Jordan found a way to win, which is why I am so high on the guy. It didn't matter if Pippen only scored 5 points, or Grant only scored 8 points and had 5 rebounds, Jordan always rose above the situation to win, which is what a true champion does.

Until these playoffs I didn't feel the same about Lebron, my tune has changed a bit on the guy but I don't think he's as good as Jordan which is what I often hear. Jordan was the greatest bar none. I think Lebron has the talent to be as good but he's not there yet. He's just now starting to show the maturity of a player who is gonna be one of the greatest. I will say though if Lebron from now on plays like he has played currently in the Finals, the sky is the limit for the guy and who knows? In 10 years I maybe calling Lebron the greatest of all time but he has to earn it first.

So that's how I think of him. Personally I'm not a fan (although he has grown up a lot lately), but I feel he's a great player and is on his way to being in Jordan's league. Not there yet but he's getting there. Now lets see if he can keep it up.

 

[Big Sexy]

Whatever your personal thoughts and feelings are about his character are separate from who he is as a basketball player and to be honest, none of you know him personally so you can't make a 100% educated judgement on his character.

As a basketball player he is the best all around player in the NBA, period. The only one who you can currently make an argument for is Kevin Durant but if the Heat win the title this year then that argument becomes almost impossible to make. I'm far from the guys biggest fan but I respect his abilities as a basketball player and realize that a talent like him doesn't come around very often.

 

[AndThat'sTheBottomLine]

I haven't watched the NBA for many years but I did see the last 2 seasons when he was with Cleveland. He could've handled it better when he went to Miami. He didn't do it for the money because Cleveland offered him the most of that. He wants a title and where he didn't have the help in Cleveland he definitely has it in Miami. He has matured this past season. He hasn't let the pressure get to him and that will be the key. He's the best player out there right now and as long as he keeps doing what he's doing, he'll win a ring this year, and maybe more in the years to come. He does things for his community and for his team. I don't know him but I think he's a good person. I like him as a player and I respect him as a man.

 

[Megatron]

I like Lebron and think that people that are still butthurt over him leaving Cleveland should get over it. It's going on 2 years now, people. While I know he could've handled it a much better way (such as simply announcing it) than he did, what's done is done and I don't find it much different than someone else leaving for free agency. Just because Jordan won with the Bulls doesn't mean Lebron has to. I find that reasoning ridiculous. LBJ also had a shit front office in Cleveland and absolutely no help other than middle tier talent like Mo Williams and Drew Gooden.

If he didn't do it all, Cleveland was fucked. Even then, sometimes it wasn't enough. He had an absolutely amazing series in 09 vs. the Magic and they still ended up losing in 6. I don't wanna hear this shit about Jordan and Barkley saying they'd stay because 1) LeBron never had the help of another top 50 player all time in Scottie Pippen, a HOF coach in Jackson, and defensive specialist like Rodman, etc. and 2) Barkley demanded a trade out of Philly when they sucked, so how is that any different than what Lebron did?

Did Lebron choke last year in the finals? Yes. He played probably the worst basketball of his entire NBA career then. However, sometimes you need to fail before you can succeed. Lebron seems to have gotten it to click right around the game 4 of the Indiana series and hasn't turned it off. It's going to be a shame if they win and people don't appreciate the type of performance he put up this postseason - something that hasn't done since Oscar Robertson was playing.

To sum it up, Lebron's my favorite player in the league (partially due to the unnecessary hate he still receives) and is the best player in the league no question. Durant can shoot better than Lebron, but Lebrons a much better passer and KD can't hold his jockstrap on defense. I just feel that since he's so hated people won't give him the proper respect as a player that he deserves. While I was never able to watch Jordan in his prime, I can say that Lebron will end up near him in the ranks once his career is over. Once he gets his first ring (hopefully tommorow) I can see him realizing what it takes to get one and winning possibly 3 or 4 more (along with another MVP or two).

 

[JamJam]

I gotta say that LeBron really is the best player in the game today. He's exactly what the NBA needs with their stars like Kobe, Duncan, etc aging day by day. His play in the Finals have been phenomenal and as much as I hate to admit it, but I think that the Heat are winning the Finals this year and LeBron will no doubt be their MVP.

I still think that The Decision was the worst thing he could have done. Now I know that he didn't wanna go down as one of the greatest players to NEVER win a title but I think that there's some loyalty that should be given to the Cavs who tried their best with him. Maybe it was management or something, but I think that if given at least a year left, they would've gotten LeBron that running mate that he desired.

But all in all, LeBron is starting to grow on me. Still a Kobe fan but LeBron is definitely earning his stripes. I now wouldn't mind him getting a ring as much as I did last time.

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

Whatever your personal thoughts and feelings are about his character are separate from who he is as a basketball player and to be honest, none of you know him personally so you can't make a 100% educated judgement on his character.

As a basketball player he is the best all around player in the NBA, period. The only one who you can currently make an argument for is Kevin Durant but if the Heat win the title this year then that argument becomes almost impossible to make. I'm far from the guys biggest fan but I respect his abilities as a basketball player and realize that a talent like him doesn't come around very often.

This is difficult to argue. That's why I wanna say before I post I am not downgrading his talent or abilities whatsoever. I also wanna thank dean for saying a lot of what I could've said, but way more articulate. Thanks dean As you'll see, mine are usually all over the place cuz I'm not a great writer

Call me spoiled, but I grew up around Chicago in the 80's and 90's, so you can guess who my favorite basketball player was. That said, James has absolutely no heart. He ran off to Miami because he couldn't hack it as a #1 guy. He's been so spoiled with raw talent his whole life that when it actually got hard he scurried away. This coming from someone that before he accomplished anything he annointed himself as the Chosen One (yeah, good luck with 2,3,4,5,6 or 7 jackass).

What Jordan and Barkley were talking about was the spirit of competition and the will to win. James has very little. And in reference to Jordan having Pippen, do you really think Jordan wouldn't have won some NBA Championships without Pippen? We're talking about a man who had to be first at EVERYTHING. Former teammates tell stories about how he had to be first out of the shower. The shower. We can debate whether Jordan would've won titles without Pippen. We know James had to run off and cry for help to win his (assuming he wins this series, which there's very little doubt).

I don't give a shit that he left Cleveland. He could've done it less like a spoiled little brat, but let's not make this personal. The fact is he has, in my mind, completely tarnished his legacy. It's like people wanting to put the asterisk on Barry Bonds' record breaking ball. Yeah, he did it, but he used the easy way out. That's why I will disagree with dean on one thing: James can never be the greatest. He's not even in their league and never will be. He couldn't hack it. He's got great skills, but no will and no heart of a Champion. And you can talk about his interviews lately and how he's "matured," but even Ron Artest can pull off a good interview if he wants. It's all politics, and it's all a facade.

The funny part of all this is I, for a brief time, hated Dwayne Wade and the Heat for that farce of a fixed 06 NBA Finals. But after James' actions, Wade has come out smelling like roses.

The point is, if James and the Heat win the NBA Championship this year, it will be the final nail in the coffin of the spirit of competition in the NBA for me. The league is bad enough as it is, and with the so-called "King" selling out, what's left to enjoy?

I don't hate Lebron James. I just have absolutely no respect for him.

 

[DJZ888]

Liked him and respected him in Cleveland but when he went to Miami with "The Decision" and the whole "not 1 not 2 not 3 not 4 not 5 not 6" bit he lost the respect. I admit that he's the best player in the world of basketball currently but he just comes off as such an arrogant douche. In addition, his fans swarm to you any chance they get when you badmouth him even slightly.

I was rooting hard for the Thunder last night even though I don't really have anything against the Heat. Miller played amazing, I don't have anything against Bosh or Chalmers. Even Wade, he can get on my nerves, but he's not all bad. I just didn't want LeBron to get the ring. He got it and he deserves it and I respect him for that but I still think he is a selfish tool.