LeBron James is a basketball giant in our midst
Opelika, Ala.: Sports Illustrated placarded LeBron James, a 16-year-old high school junior, on its cover in 2002, anointing him “The Chosen One.” James is the most cheered and most jeered, the most idolized and most criticized, athlete in history due to the internet and social media’s pervasiveness. He is the preeminent can’t-miss prospect. He exceeded the outlandish expectations.
The Akron, Ohio, native was drafted first by the wretched Cleveland Cavaliers. James secured a 2007 finals trip for the underwhelming Cavs by scoring 25 straight points in a playoff victory against the Detroit Pistons. When he took his talents to South Beach, a supervillain was born. Cavs CEO Dan Gilbert flayed James as disloyal and as a betrayer. Fans who felt jilted piled up their LeBron gear and created huge bonfires in northeast Ohio. They roared as he inexplicably wilted in the 2011 finals loss against the underdog Dallas Mavericks. He scored a playoff-low 17.8 points per game.
Steeled by the pain, James bounced back and won two titles with the Heat, one with the Cavs and one with the Lakers. James plays with power, speed, adroitness and savvy, a mix unprecedented in NBA history. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar set the NBA scoring record in 1,560 games. James, aided by 2,237 three-pointers, broke it in 1,410 games.
He continues to tinker with his game, draining mid-range jumpers as easily as thirsty fans guzzle beer. As a passer, he’s more inventive and accurate than Patrick Mahomes. In his 20th season, James is averaging 30 points per game, 8.5 rebounds and 7 assists a game — an unprecedented feat for a player in his 20th season. Need I say more?