Hype.
Hype is a small word with large implications. Hype converts athletes into icons, forces a teammate to become an individual, and transforms a person of public interest into a national fixation.
The challenge is whether the athlete can live up to the hype without wilting under the pressure. Hype can easily compromise an athlete’s soul, turning him from a once promising prospect to a selfish flash-in-the-pan type player.
Basketball phenom LeBron James has been caught in the hype storm since his freshman year of high school. And since then the hype has continually been building.
By the end of his junior year in high school, the [then] 17-year-old James had already graced the covers of both Sports Illustrated and ESPN magazine. The national intrigue surrounding James was so enormous that ESPN 2 aired several of his high school basketball games.
He was such a dominant player that the media dubbed him “King James” and “The Chosen One.” James was being hailed as the next Michael Jordan, after being drafted as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft.
Nike signed a $90 million contract with the King before he played in his first NBA game.
Needless to say, James faced incredibly intense pressure to succeed.
Professional sports are an unforgiving place for failed athletes. Athletes who lack the strength or maturity to deal with the media hype and pressure of professional and public expectations often find themselves wondering where things went wrong.
Big names who can’t measure up often lose their confidence, under-perform, and are quickly forgotten. It is very easy for would-be stars to fall into either basketball obscurity or the purgatory of fans’ disdain.
But certain rare players with special qualities and strengths survive and prosper under difficult circumstances.
Former first overall pick Kwame Brown succumbed to the hype, never living up to it. The notorious Sam Bowie, who was drafted before Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley, is regarded as one of the biggest mistakes in sports history.
And 1998’s first pick, center Michael Olowokandi, was forced out of LA because of his poor play and was berated by the fans.
Entering his rookie season, no player in NBA history had faced higher expectations or been given so much attention as LeBron.
Because of the propaganda, the way James played was going to be closely scrutinized, his mistakes severely ridiculed, his demeanor analyzed, and his worth questioned. Before his first game, the hype was in full hurricane force, but the unflinching James was not fazed.
Unlike so many others, LeBron looked directly into the eye of the hype storm and attacked it like he does when streaking down the lane toward the basket.
In his first professional game, LeBron James scored 25 points, had nine assists and six rebounds, and even managed to theft four steals.
Nobody remembers that Cleveland lost that game, and yet that moment will be forever embedded in the minds of sports fans as LeBron’s coming out party. In one game LeBron made a defining statement that he will not shy away from pressure; he will thrive and excel in it.
4 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Anonymous about 1 year ago
Kobe fears LeBron.
LeBron owns Kobe.
Kobe won't surpass MJ but LeBron has now surpassed Kobe.
KOBE BRYANT SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kobe fears LeBron.
LeBron owns Kobe.
Kobe won't surpass MJ but LeBron has now surpassed Kobe.
KOBE BRYANT SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kobe fears LeBron.
LeBron owns Kobe.
Kobe won't surpass MJ but LeBron has now surpassed Kobe.
KOBE BRYANT SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kobe fears LeBron.
LeBron owns Kobe.
Kobe won't surpass MJ but LeBron has now surpassed Kobe.
KOBE BRYANT SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kobe fears LeBron.
LeBron owns Kobe.
Kobe won't surpass MJ but LeBron has now surpassed Kobe.
KOBE BRYANT SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kobe fears LeBron.
LeBron owns Kobe.
Kobe won't surpass MJ but LeBron has now surpassed Kobe.
KOBE BRYANT SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Chad Ridgeway about 1 year ago
LeBron is so far ahead of the curve it's ridiculous. To be taken #1 out of high school, with unprecendented hype, and contribute immediately and take the CAVS to the NBA Finals in just a few years is crazy. The hype bar was set unreachabley high yet he has leapt over it. I almost feel like if LeBron is gonna win the MVP award for the next 15 years because no one else is just that good.
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Matt Fanning about 1 year ago
i have to admit, when lebron was drafted out of high school, i was pretty sure that he was going to be a flop and he was going to be too immature for the big leagues, but he has proved me wrong. he may not be the most fundamentally sound player, but he sure is the most exciting to watch and easily one of the best players in the nba at the age of 23 (but skip bayless thinks hes like 30)
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Gustavo Destro about 1 year ago
Great article. Very insightful and true. LeBron never ceases to amaze me, and when I stop to think that he's just 23, and that he will still mature and get better, it makes me think of how he will be remembered when it's all said and done. Probably top 5 all-time.
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