Remember when LeBron had an hour-long interview about taking his talents to South Beach (Shoutout to Kobe for using that line first when he declared for the draft), remember when LeBron kept talking to the media and the fans and said that people have to keep living their same life. It seems like an eternity ago that LeBron was making these childish remarks to the media, after going to Miami. A new LeBron was seen after the 2012 Finals when he finally won his first ring, although the first thing he thought was “it’s about damn time” (a little entitled and snarky, no?).
Fast forward a couple of years, LeBron decides to leave Miami and return home to Cleveland after he proclaimed it through a carefully worded piece with Sports Illustrated, where he failed to mention Andrew Wiggins (#1 draft pick of 2014) and Anthony Bennett (#1 draft pick of 2013). And the result of LeBron’s letter, a heartfelt welcome home from the city of Cleveland, a city that’s been waiting for its hero to return since 2010. LeBron took over the team quickly, bringing in old pals from Miami and managing to have one of the best PFs, Kevin Love, in the game agree to sign in Cleveland after his contract year.
And yet, come Thanksgiving, the Cavs sit at 7-7 under scrutiny from everyone in the league and media members across the world. Many things can be blamed for the Cavs lack of success: chemistry issues, no interior defense, Kyrie and Dion not wanting to pass the ball. But little has been made of LeBron’s play on the court and his leadership off the court.
The assumption was that LeBron was being complacent like he was in Miami the first year, seeing how the chemistry would work between 3 All-Stars on a young team. However, LeBron’s leadership has rarely been looked at without reason. His off-court remarks have gone back to the early Miami days, telling the world to “RELAX” after the team started 1-3. He’s continued dig himself a grave by saying that the team is “fragile” and that he stinks.
LeBron’s messages to his teammates (through the media) have been from a position of power and authority, telling them “You guys know, the lowest it can get is up 17 in the fourth quarter of Game 2 of the Finals and losing. It can get that low.” Coming from a “I’ve done it all” position, LeBron is preaching that he’s done so much without his team and that they need to follow his lead.
This message is fine except he keeps communicating to his team via the media. There’s no doubt that his teammates hear the message, but these messages shouldn’t be relayed through the media. These are messages that LeBron can give in the locker room with his coaching staff and veterans on the team. Going through the media shows that his immaturity has come back, similar to the first year in Miami. It seems as if the power has gone to his head, and until he shows what he can be, he should be following Chuck’s advice and just stop talking to the media.
