LeBron James: 10 Ways He Could Have Done The Decision Better
LeBron James has finally admitted what most of the world wanted to hear: he would handle "The Decision" differently if given another chance.
"If I had to go back on it, I probably would do it a little bit different," James told ESPN's Mike Wallace.
"But I'm happy with the decision I made. There's always going to be a misunderstanding. I don't know what I would [have done], but I definitely would have changed it."
James has been blasted by critics for the way he left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat, with an hour-long TV special called "The Decision" that has gone down in infamy.
Most people believed the debacle served as nothing more than a means to stroke James' ego, a self-indulgent, self-centered move that dissed the entire city of Cleveland.
So now James regrets it.
But how would he have done it differently if he was given another chance?
Let's look at the top 10 ways LeBron James could have handled "The Decision."
10. Some Love For Cleveland Cavaliers Owner Dan Gilbert
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Alright, Dan Gilbert. Let's get this straight.
Coming out after "The Decision" and ripping LeBron James, then subsequently saying you "guarantee" the Cleveland Cavaliers will win an NBA Championship before James does is, well, a joke.
Clearly you think that James' TV special affected you more than anyone on the planet, so what could James have done to smooth it over?
A hug, a mural in your honor, what is it?
Honestly, I doubt anything would have cured this guy's broken heart.
But had James showed Gilbert a little love, maybe he wouldn't be making false promises to a city that can't afford one.
9. Common Courtesy
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The Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat were informed prior to "The Decision" about LeBron James choosing to sign with the Heat.
So what about the New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Clippers?
Did they just sit there during the entire hour-long show, completely unaware of James' verdict?
Obviously the chances of landing James seemed slim for some of those teams, but it couldn't have hurt James to give those other teams a bit of a heads up.
8. Shorten It Up
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There is one thing that LeBron James is clearly lacking: a concept of time.
Did "The Decision" seriously need to be an hour long?
Couldn't he have accomplished the same thing, and not have isolated himself from millions of basketball fans, had he taken like five minutes instead?
Hell, he probably could have done it in 30 seconds on Sportscenter if he agreed not to answer any questions afterward.
7. Write It Down
4 of 10Mad props are in order for Minnesota Timberwolves forward Anthony Tolliver.
He spoofed "The Decision" in a one-minute YouTube video in which he announced his decision to sign with the Timberwolves (though he was already with the team) by writing it down on a piece of paper and holding it up for the camera.
Imagine LeBron-mania ending with LeBron James using the age old pen and paper to make the biggest decision of his career.
I would have approved.
6. Admit He Couldn't Win One in Cleveland
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LeBron James was labeled a Benedict Arnold when he chose to leave the Cavaliers.
So imagine who he'd be compared to if he told Jim Gray that he couldn't win a championship with Cleveland because they didn't have a good enough supporting cast.
Would he have been lying? No.
Would he have pissed people off? Yes.
But at least James would have been telling the truth.
5. LeBron James Vs. Delonte West
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We all know the rumors—or is it accepted as fact now?—that LeBron James' Cavalier teammate Delonte West did the unforgivable: he had sex with James' mom.
First of all, the thought of that encounter actually going down is sheer hilarity.
Second of all, come on, Delonte. It's guy code.
You don't hook up with a friend's wife, girlfriend, sister or mother. Maybe a hot aunt, but that's about it.
Anyway, screw an agonizing hour-long TV special. I want James versus West. 12 rounds.
James wins, he makes his own decision. West wins, he makes it for James.
4. Do It The Old-Fashioned Way
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I remember watching ESPN and seeing those "Breaking News" updates at the bottom of the screen.
"Breaking News: F Chris Bosh signs with Miam Heat..."
"Breaking News: G Dwyane Wade re-signs with Miami Heat..."
I later saw a clip of them announcing their decision live on Sportscenter without any hoopla or media circus.
It was just Bosh and Wade making their choice in an ordinary, timely and quiet manner.
LeBron James could have easily done the same.
3. Thanked Cleveland Instead
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One of the biggest complaints about "The Decision" was that James showed a blatant disrespect for the entire city of Cleveland.
It was a city in his home state, less than an hour away from James' hometown of Akron, yet James rarely mentioned the city where he spent the first seven years of his career.
Instead of focusing on the decision-making process or what the future held, James would have done himself wonders had the TV special at least partly focused on his time in Cleveland.
With a heartfelt thanks to the organization, the city, his fans and his teammates, he probably would have saved himself a few million haters.
2. The Poor Choice of Words
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"I'm going to take my talents to South Beach" will go down as one of the most famous phrases in sports history.
I don't think it came across nearly as bad as most people do, but you know that LeBron James regrets the way that come out of his mouth.
I mean, are you taking your talents for funneling beer to South Beach or something?
Maybe James should have just said, "I will be joining the Miami Heat."
That way, people would have at least one less thing to criticize him about.
1. Don't Do It
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Hindsight really is 20/20.
It's easy to say now what LeBron James should have done, but the guy was in an emotional state that you or I will never be in.
For all we know, he could have planned on a much different "Decision" than the way it actually turned out.
But the best way to avoid any type of problems he brought upon himself with the TV spectacle was simply to not do it.
No decision, no Jim Gray, no audience, no TV cameras.
Follow the anti-Nike campaign: just don't do it.
