Lebron James: Championship Mentality
First off I am not a "Lebron Hater" he is clearly one of the most talented players in the league, but that is where it ends. James' seasons have always started "hot" and ended "heavy" as his team is continually eliminated from the playoffs. James always plays terrific during the regular season, and everyone hops onto the "Lebron" bandwagon. However, the Cavaliers march into the playoffs as favorites to win a championship and are always eliminated. Why has Lebron failed so often when has been so close? A good place to start would be to look at the sidelines at the start of the game.
Lebron is an entertainer. That's what he is,that's what he does, and that's why people love him. From his pregame dances, to taking those "air pictures" with his team, to his baby powder smoke screen that never fails to get the home town fans riled up at the start of the game. The ball then tips off and Lebron excites the crowd even more by performing his mind bending dunks and going 1 on 5. He never fails to include his team though. His assists numbers are a testament to that; or are they a testament to something else? It always seems that James needs the ball in his hands to win. Whether it be dribbling the ball down the court or directing his team to move into an iso formation so he can go 1 on 1: James never can go without being the center of attention.
People often ask where is Lebron's team? When describing the lackluster performance of the Cavaliers in the playoffs. Lebron has always been a championship player without a championship mentality. Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat often finds himself in a similar situation by having to will his team to victory becuse without him putting the team on his shoulders the Heat would be a sub .500 team. James, on the other hand, has the luxury of not being the only player on his team to be elected to the all-star game. Wade has no help he is lost in the abyss as his back court consists of the likes of Mario Chalmers and Carlos Arroyo. Yet James does not rely on his team to help him out. James shows off because he wants to. Throw James' numbers out the window and what do you have? A guy who is trying to average a triple double a night because that means more money and fame.
I doubt if Lebron has ever taken anything seriously when a championship is the end goal. Remember when after the Orlando-Cavaliers series last year Lebron stormed off of the court and did not bother to talk to the media. Then remember all of the Nike ads with the Lebron and Kobe puppets, and what do you have? You have the true reason for Lebron being upset. He was not upset about losing because it meant another lost chance at a championship: he was upset about losing because winning would have meant the "ultimate showdown" as the two greatest players in the world meet in the NBA Finals. What is even worse is that no one keeps his foolishness in check. Unlike Kobe who had everyone breathing down his neck trying to expose his selfish behavior. Lebron does not have that. Everyone already presupposes that Lebron is a player who is unselfish. So Lebron goes on and continues his behavior with T-shirts that read "check my stats" because that is the only thing that Lebron cares about.
Who knows. Maybe a change of scenery can end James' and allow him to grow and succeed. Getting out of Cleavland might allow Lebron to forgo his usual persona and allow him develop his mindset into a championship mentality.
