LeBron James: 12 Ways To Salvage His Legacy
Outside of south Florida, LeBron James gets little respect nowadays in the basketball world.
Even before The Decision, LeBron's image was tarnished for a number of reasons on and off the court.
The hate for James wasn't as prominent as it is now, but even as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, James was criticized for issues that rubbed fans and even opposing players the wrong way.
Since LeBron decided to take his talents to Miami, he has been persecuted by his former fans in Cleveland, former NBA players, and NBA analysts from across the country. This has spawned the idea that James' image is forever tarnished.
The Miami Heat have become public enemy number one in the eyes of NBA fans across the country, as pressure builds for the team to live up to expectations.
The hate that James has brought to Miami has been consistent since July 10th, as people look for any reason to grow angrier at LeBron.
While it is unfair, it is understandable why he would still be hated in the Ohio area.
Miami fans—imagine if Dwyane Wade had a televised special deciding where he would end up next season and announcing live on television for millions to see that he would be joining the Chicago Bulls.
Chances are, there would be a few jersey burnings and angry tweets directed at Wade as well.
LeBron has a lot to do by the end of the season to repair his tarnished image. The 2010-11 campaign is make or break for the Heat, as all eyes will be on James and the South Beach Super Team.
It's going to be a tumultuous season for LeBron and he will need to accomplish 12 things to get the NBA world back on his side.
No More Showboating
1 of 12
If there was one problem I had with LeBron James while he was with the Cavaliers, it would be his showboating.
He would usually do the talking with his game, but his cocky attitude turned people off. People did not want to watch LeBron dancing on the bench with a double-digit lead.
Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah was the first to speak out against the antics, and most of the country would get behind him.
His pregame ritual of having his team pose for imaginary pictures allowed James' cockiness to overshadow his game.
Now that he is in Miami it could be time for a change.
LeBron has been criticized enough for what he has done over the summer. Even though he took less money to join a team that was more likely to win, James still has a huge image to repair if he wants to salvage his NBA legacy.
He can start by not making the same showboating mistakes.
By cutting it out of his repertoire, James will repair his image on the court as fans begin to notice that he plays the game to win and not to show off.
The Dunk Contest
2 of 12
In an interview with TNT during the 2009 dunk contest, James announced he would participate in 2010.
If you know anything about the dunk contest, you know that it has been criticized for not having big name players and showcasing mediocre dunks that have been continually repeated.
LeBron was supposed to change that and even gave a preview during the All-Star game when he threw an alley-oop to himself off the glass in the final seconds of the game, his forehead level with the rim.
The dunk contest came and LeBron rescinded his participation.
Instead of being able to see the most athletic high-flyer in the league at his best, we had to deal with possibly the worst dunk contest in its history as Nate Robinson won an uneventful third title.
With the contest on thin ice, it needs to be revitalized and a name like LBJ thrown in would immediately get people to tune in.
If James were to join the contest, other big names would jump in an attempt to beat LeBron at his own game.
By doing the contest, James' high-flying abilities could win the world back.
Zo's Summer Groove
3 of 12
Charity work repairs any struggling image. Luckily for LeBron, he came to Miami, where the Heat are prominent members of the South Florida community. The most well-known case in Miami is Zo's Summer Groove.
Originally started by former Heat star Alonzo Mourning, Zo's Summer Groove is a week-long event throughout Miami with auctions and All-Star games raising money for Mourning's foundations.
Dwyane Wade has become a co-host. Dwyane and Zo have only made themselves look better as they have participated in the event for the past few years and have raised millions of dollars.
LeBron's participation would repair his image and bring even more publicity to the event.
Drop The King Moniker
4 of 12
I am bewildered that LeBron has gotten away with being the self-anointed King for so long.
Calling himself The King without a championship to back it up only fosters resentment.
The moniker was created in Cleveland and should be left in Cleveland.
In Miami, James' image needs to be turned around and dropping the nickname would be a huge step in the right direction.
LeBron could still have a moniker in Miami, but this is now a castle without a king—only a roster of players whose one objective is winning.
The Miami Heat might be a special team that could be crowned the NBA kings by the end of the 2011 season, but until further notice, this is a team working its way up through the ranks to gain respect and admiration.
Check His Ego
5 of 12
It would be an understatement to say that LeBron James has an ego.
The egos of the rest of the league pale in comparison to LeBron's.
While in Cleveland, James had a swagger to him that annoyed some fans.
When he came to Miami, there was already the thought of three large egos in James, Wade, and Chris Bosh clashing. Because of that, it is essential for LeBron and the rest of his team to check their egos at the door for the sake of winning.
No team of this magnitude has been assembled, and if one player's ego gets in the way, it could easily result in a doomed season and a big mistake in the signings that shook the NBA world over the summer.
Miami should worry about LBJ the most, as he is the two-time reigning MVP, and is joining a team where he might not even be considered the best player. He joined Dwyane Wade's Heat. It's no longer his team. If they clash for the role of team leader it could be a disaster.
Adjust to the Role of Second Option
6 of 12
As stated, the Heat is Dwyane Wade's team.
LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined to try to win a championship, and they need to grow used to the fact that they are no longer the first option.
While it is apparent to Bosh that he is the third option, LeBron may not understand his role as well.
BHe will need to learn how to play the Scottie Pippen role to Dwyane Wade's Michael Jordan.
LeBron has been leading the Cavaliers since joining the team as an 18-year-old phenom out of high school, and did not disappoint until late in his tenure when the regular season talent never transitioned into the postseason.
During the regular season, it appeared that he received a substantial amount of help from his teammates, but come postseason time and it was LeBron Island as he attempted to do nearly everything.
James will no longer have to worry about help as he joins two perennial All-Stars and a number of solid role players.
LeBron is an elite passer who will have no trouble finding players for easy scoring. He'll be expected to lead the league in assists during the regular season and to have the ball in his hands(sorry Mario Chalmers) the majority of the time.
By proving that he doesn't need to be the leader of a team to win, James shows that he has no problem adjusting to the role as the second scoring option and sharing the spotlight with other stars.
Lead the League in Assists
7 of 12
At nearly nine assists per game last season, LeBron passed for a career high and even finished sixth in the league in total assists. The fact that he averaged 30 points and seven rebounds along with it is nothing short of amazing, as he took home a well-deserved second consecutive MVP.
On a team with Wade, Bosh, and a roster full of quality players who are capable of making shots, James should have no problem in not only setting a new career high in assists, but possibly leading the entire league.
There are three starters in James, Wade, and Mario Chalmers capable of handling the ball, and with Wade to handle the majority of the scoring, and Chalmers most likely set to play like Chalmers, it would only be fitting that LeBron would handle the majority of the passing.
James is by far the best passing forward in the league and is also surrounded by one of the best teams ever assembled.
By leading the league in passing, it helps repair his image by proving that LeBron doesn't need to score and be the offensive leader to help his team win games. It also proves that he is very well capable of doing just about everything on the court while being utilized as the second option.
LeBron has done his part in scoring over the past seven years, but now entering his second chapter, he should be utilized more as a passer than anything, and prove to his doubters that stats can come later.
Throroughly Explain the Decision
8 of 12
On the night of July 10th, there was no bigger celebration in the country than the one going on in South Florida.
The team appears to be ready to contend for a title once again, the days of a mediocrity are over, and there is no longer a worry that Wade might leave.
In places like Cleveland, New York, and Chicago, not so much.
The city of Cleveland was hit hard as James had given no indication to his former organization that he would be leaving, and instead announced on live television for millions to see that he would spurn the team that had grown to love him. The team that he had built from the ground up had no role model or idol to look up to anymore and their hero had just betrayed them.
Burning his jersey and his memorabilia while the team's owner wrote an open letter to the city blasting LeBron was excessive, but if James wants to turn over a new leaf he should give a well thought out and thorough explanation of "The Decision" and why it was made.
His former fans deserve an explanation of why he left and how his decision was made to make amends with the city.
He should make it before December 2nd if he wants to feel completely safe inside the Quicken Loans Arena.
Average a Triple-Double
9 of 12
It has only happened once in league history and that was in the 1961-62 season, but if it is ever going to happen again, now is the time.
Oscar Robertson is the only player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a full season when he averaged 31 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists nearly 40 years ago, and LeBron James could be the last hope of this ever happening again.
Coupled with his astounding ability to score, rebound, and pass, James is very well capable of averaging a triple-double if given a great amount of minutes and if he has the ball in his hands for the majority of games.
He nearly came close last season at 30 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds per game, but it's still a far cry from what the "Big O" posted 40 years ago. James had a number of triple-doubles last season and could have possibly had more had he not sat out a number of fourth quarters.
The same problem could arise this season as the Heat will most likely blow a few teams out of the water, but with an astounding team to pass to and a limited amount of rebounders, it shouldn't come as a surprise if LeBron has enough triple-doubles to average it for a full season.
His image would greatly improve if he accomplishes such a rare feat. If he does pull it off, his NBA legacy will be somewhat cemented.
Win a Third Consecutive MVP
10 of 12
It's going to be extremely difficult for LeBron to win an MVP this year considering he will most likely be the second option on the Miami Heat, but if anyone is capable of the extremely difficult it's him.
James' resume is already a sight to behold as he is the youngest player in history to reach 15,000 points, one of only nine players to win consecutive MVPs, and one of only four players to average at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists in their rookie season.
If he wins a third consecutive MVP this season, he will join the ranks of Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell as the only players to win three straight MVP awards.
Good company in my opinion.
James has a tarnished legacy, but that could be forgotten if he joins this elite group. For James to win the title, he'll have to essentially average a triple-double, or at least near it, and help lead the team to at least 65 wins.
LeBron has proved doubters wrong before by living up to the hype coming out of high school and could do it one more time in a very historical manner.
Win a Championship
11 of 12
There was only one reason LeBron James left Cleveland for Miami and that was to win.
It was obvious that the most efficient way to win a title would be with the Heat and it was also plain to see that the Cavs were not getting it done in the free agency market as the team brought no one to play alongside him in Cleveland.
It was not an attempt to completely spurn and disrespect the city that he had grown to love, but to join the team that would help bring him a title.
The championship is one of the few accolades that James has yet to accomplish and that could change as soon as the end of next year if all goes according to plan.
In fact, if all goes according to plan, LeBron will earn multiple titles.
The core of LeBron, Chris, and Dwyane is surely enough to lead a team to an NBA Finals, and with the help of solid role players, it is almost assured that the Miami Heat should win a number of titles barring internal problems or serious injuries.
LeBron has the opportunity to win the titles that have eluded him for the past few years, and he could complete his legacy by winning it on one of the most dangerous and volatile teams in league history.
By showing that he can co-exist with All-Stars and adjust to the role as the second option while winning a championship, he not only repairs his image, but he also maintains the historical legacy that he has been building since joining the league.
Dancing With the Stars
12 of 12
If all else fails, go on Dancing with the Stars. It seemed to help Betty White's career.
