LeBron James: 10 Reasons Fans Want to Hate the NBA "King"
It's fitting that he plays for the Miami Heat, because the fan ire projected toward LeBron James is an inferno.
To be clear, I'm not sure how I feel about his relocation or his success.
On one hand, I enjoy basketball excellence and feel strongly that a man holds his future in his own hands.
On the other, it's an unenviable position in which he left the city of Cleveland, and he should have been a little less bombastic about his decisions.
Some people love success.
Some people love to see the hero (or is it villain?) fall!
I'm not sure if it's right or wrong to root against a person for making choices about their own future, but whether for this reason or others, make no mistake about it, a significant portion of fans loathe "The King."
Believe it, his trip to the Finals has only intensified feelings toward him on both sides, be it love or hate.
In a sort of "et tu, Brutus" response, James posted a tweet regarding fans bad wishes and their desire to see him fall. While many felt this was directed more at the Cavaliers organization, he claims this is not the case.
So, that leaves it to be directed toward us, the fans. He chastised such behavior, stating simply that "God sees all."
Love him, hate him, the fact is, people want to see him fall. The mighty Caesar has apparently claimed too much power. But, is a person without a ring really all-powerful?
Maybe we see independence as power.
This is getting far too Shakespearean. Time to be pedestrian. For whatever reason, some people just don't like him.
Here are 10 reasons, in order of likelihood, that I feel most fans have such disdain for LeBron James. Some are more obvious, but I think all of them are factors.
No. 10: Some People Simply Don't Like the Miami Heat
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Just because somebody dislikes the Heat does not mean that it is because of LeBron. However, most people are making this association immediately.
There are many people who simply aren't going to like LeBron because they hate the Heat. Plain and simple.
You can't tell me that Mavericks fans don't have anger in their eyes going into these Finals after the events of blowing a 2-0 lead in a championship series against Shaq and Wade a few years back.
Surely Magic fans who weren't seeing LeBron too favorably in Cleveland aren't going to gain any love for him in South Beach. It's their archrival!
When a great player puts up his tent in the camp of your archrival, the increased disdain is a natural factor. While this factor plays a role in a small percentage of the fan base, it deserves to be mentioned.
Some people don't like smug Pat Riley in the stands, with (as they would put it) his smell of success, smug smile, and slicked back hair.
People are easily drawn to envy, and thus root against this Miami squad. There are plenty of other factors that could draw them against this team. LeBron just happened to hop into the mix!
No. 9: Superstar Treatment on the Court
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It dates back to the days of Magic Johnson, and it stands the test of time to date. Many fans believe that large, athletic superstars of the NBA are given beneficial treatment by the league and its officials.
I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "They never call anything on Shaq. He can just stand there and swing his elbows." Contrarily, I've rarely recalled the counter-argument that with such size, those players motions are exagerrated and could leave them susceptible to more calls.
I couldn't honestly tell you if the league awards or penalizes its superstars subconsciously, but it's easy to hypothesize that the longer they're in the games, the better the product is for the NBA.
As such, LeBron couples himself in with every other superstar to take the court and dominate. Cynics will believe they get every call awarded to them, while fans will defend them as if they're incapable of doing any wrong.
As always, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Your bench players are going to have to be gritty, and your stars are going to be pampered, at least according to a large portion of fans determined to devalue the quality of excellent players.
Nobody wants to see a great players get away with a thing!
On a milder note, I've also been told that James has stolen ideas from his peers, such as the chalk throw during pre-game, but that is more fan involvement than anything else. If it's associated with him, then so be it.
Was there a trademark on this move? Did he ever claim to be the father of invention? This rationale doesn't warrant any serious consideration.
No. 8: Fans Have Long Memories (The "I Quit" Game, the Lost Handshake)
3 of 10James received a great deal of criticism for not shaking the hands of opposing peers when his Cavaliers lost to the Orlando Magic in the 2009 playoffs. He walked off the court while his teammates graciously showed a sportsmanship that LeBron evidently didn't care to demonstrate.
The heat on the "King" intensified when he didn't answer questions from the media following the loss, leaving his teammates to rationalize the events that ended their season.
Afterwards, LeBron claimed he wasn't a bad sport, but the public outcry for his soul had begun, and people essentially wanted to rob him of any drip of integrity they thought he had left.
I can barely blame them. Granted, the NBA playoffs may not have such an established ritual of shaking hands as the NHL, but to do that and follow it up without standing with your team sends a terrible message:
- I'm above this.
- I'm a sore loser.
- I'm taking my ball and going home.
Fans may be harsh to bash him to the extent that they did, but the star could have been far more conscientious of his actions.
Following these events, in 2010, the Cavs played the Boston Celtics and lost in Game 5. Fans were outraged across the nation by what they perceived as a "night off" taken by James in the best Randy Moss fashion.
Criticized for standing at the three-point line all night and oogling at his team as they desperately tried to find open looks, there was an onslaught regarding his perceived conduct.
Whether or not you agree with his effort being lackadaisical, the perception became reality for most people.
Fans have long memories, and most of them don't like it when a player picks and chooses his spots for being professional.
No. 7: He Was a Millionaire out of High School
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Let's face it, there's a notion amongst many classes of people that LeBron is a spoiled millionaire who made huge money right out of high school.
He didn't go to college, plays a game and makes more money on a shot than many people do in a full calendar season. I'd love to doctor this up and give it more pizzazz, but it's really that simple.
Make no mistake, people are envious and root against the world's athletes for reasons that are just that simple. Right or wrong, that's the perception of the "overpaid, spoiled athlete" and LeBron is at the forefront of that blitz.
Sure, he took a pay cut to play in Miami.
But, right out of boyhood school, he made money that would make the President of the United States envious.
I've always looked at salary from a purely capitalistic perspective. Fair market values are dictated on revenue streams, and owners control those decisions. If a player's impact and presence warrants a perceived value that an owner is willing to pay, this is that player's fair market value on the basis of the industry which he has chosen.
It may not be fair, but that's the economic system that our country is based on–it's pure capitalism.
The public sees a rich, young athlete and they expect perfection. Anything less causes immediate criticism. Coming out of high school and making millions is a sure-fire way to make the public's list of people to root against.
No. 6: Media Entitlement with No Championships
5 of 10Everywhere you turn, the NBA's poster boy gazes back at you. Television commercials, NBA merchandise, product placement, media blitzes....
I'm surprised that nobody has taken on the campaign for LeBron James-brand TV dinners. Wonder if that will come with a side of sour apples? (Kidding...kidding!)
For all of the glory and marketing that surrounds the "next big thing" (or, by now, the current big thing), there's one big piece missing.
The hardware. The ring. The...justification?
Fans, namely haters, will never quite buy into the James hype machine without his ascension to the NBA's championship podium. In fact, it'd doubtful that he'll now ever fully get there as most believe a title with the Heat would "cheapen" its impact on his career.
Whether or not his relocation dampens his status as a future-champion (if that day comes), the fact is that he was swept out of the NBA Finals in a lone trip with Cleveland.
Sure, Kobe was shoved down our throats the same way, but he delivered, and with LeBron we're all in the emergency waiting room, losing patience. And now fans have just found out he's checked into a different hospital!
Fans questioned the hype around a guy who hadn't elevated his team to a title, but the NBA knew what it had with a great player.
And, just when the fans had their reasons to hate the hype machine, LeBron sends them a message that causes a frenzy. (see video above)
It seems hypocritical to villainize LeBron when Jordan hit his media stride well before his first title, but the fact is fans won't fully appreciate the legend without the hardware.
No. 5: Dan Snyder Economics
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When it comes to spending money on new free agents in an attempt to assemble an immediate champion, nobody has embodied this vision more than Dan Snyder.
His list of acquisitions has included Deion Sanders, Antwaan Randle El and Albert Haynesworth, and that doesn't even scratch the surface. Mainly, the players were brought together in Washington to bring the Redskins to immediate glory on the predication of their accomplishments in their prime.
Factored out were other variables such as team chemistry (the idea of players staying together and getting better over time), variations in team systems and age.
The result was an owner spending lavish amounts of money to field a mediocre, oft-poor product.
The Snyder-Redskin efforts embodied the notion that buying your way to glory doesn't work, but more importantly, it showcased why putting together an all-star lineup doesn't translate to wins. Simply throwing a lot of all-time greats together doesn't mean they'll automatically mesh as a great team.
Football and basketball are different animals. Look at the Celtics, bringing in Kevin Garnett and winning immediately.
The difference here, though, is that much like LeBron, Dan Snyder is viewed as the "villain" archetype in many circles. He's the guy that's everything wrong about sports: white-collar, money-spending impatience in a luxury suite.
When the perceived "bad guys" simply join forces to come together, our public has seen them fall flat on their faces.
And, make no mistake, LeBron is largely the perceived "bad guy."
With our exposure telling us that it wouldn't work out, things seemed to start well enough: The Heat struggled mightily through 10 games. They lost to great teams all year. They were swept by a great team concept in Chicago with the Bulls in the regular season.
In basketball, the game is different. Plus, you have 82 games to gel.
What started as a recipe in mediocrity has turned into a run to the NBA Finals and a potential championship.
This is counter-intuitive to what our public expects in such a scenario, and now many root religiously against the Heat. This is in keeping with their expectations of how things would go, not how they have gone.
No. 4: History of Cleveland
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If he'd left the Lakers, you can bank on the fact that everyone's opinion would have been, "every man has the right to do what's best for him. The heck with L.A."
But, since he left poor, snake-bitten, little guy Cleveland....the outcry has been far different.
Cleveland is a city that doesn't have much, leaving the impression of an abandoned orphan, shyly walking up to LeBron and meagerly stating like Oliver, "Please sir, I want some more." Somehow, Cleveland is the victim.
Make no mistake that LeBron is paying for his sins largely because of Cleveland's former hard luck.
There's a list of enemies in Cleveland, and they rank, in order:
- LeBron James
- Art Modell
- John Elway
- Bill Belichick
- the devil
- And Michael Jordan for pulling an Elway Light
They lost a franchise. Jordan hit the shot. Elway had the drive. Even the Marlins robbed them of glory.
Maybe they should just be grateful not to have a hockey franchise.
Wait, the IHL folded, taking out the Cleveland Lumberjacks? Wow, the hits just keep coming.
Seriously, though: Is it the duty of one man to erase years of disappointment?
No. 3: Jordan-Itis
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By Jordan-itis, I'm referring to the penchant of the NBA fan (quite fairly) to evaluate things by comparison to the biggest superstar of recent generations, Michael Jordan.
Jordan played for the Bulls long before the glory days when he and Scotty Pippen won six NBA titles with a cast of great players.
There were hard days to start, and the roster wasn't always loaded. Time and again, the Bulls loaded up and brought their best effort, only to fall short in the playoffs. The Detroit Pistons were one of their main antagonists.
Opposed to shooting over to the Knicks with Ewing or hitting the beach with friends, Jordan stayed loyal to the team that drafted him. Fans see this as right. He went on to win six NBA titles with the Bulls, and he is as entrenched in Chicago as any athlete to a city in all of sports. He did come back to play for the Wizards, but under extremely different circumstances.
When LeBron left Cleveland, it sent a perceived message to many that big names belong in big cities and little markets are destined for futility. On the heels of heroes who defined careers for a team over a long stretch of time, the public simply wasn't comfortable with LeBron's move.
He was, to certain standards, the anti-Jordan.
No. 2: "The Decision"
9 of 10LeBron appeared disinterested in a playoff game, acted unsportsmanlike in defeat, and now suddenly the new claim of his critics: He is flamboyant and bullish with his success.
Apparently, his demeanor has been cocky and his attitude has been inconsiderate of the circumstances. He should just know his role as "a cheater" and take his run through the playoffs as "a desperate play to win a title through Wade."
To some of you, that sounds accurate. Others find the statement ridiculous. But, there are those on both sides of that fence.
All of the critiquing of his character came to a forefront last summer, when LeBron overshadowed the playoffs with news of his announcement forthcoming. Everyone had to know. Where would LeBron be in 2010-11?
Was he a loyal hero (staying in Cleveland)?
Somebody who wanted something new?
Or a *fill in the blank here* (going to Miami)?
With the attention of millions, LeBron announced his decision live. While some cite that charity was the reason for a televised announcement, others are more skeptical. Behind a guise of charity, skeptics called the move narcissistic and self-serving.
If ever his ego was in public question, this was the moment.
The bombastic podium for such an announcement came under heavy scrutiny. In ambiguous terms, LeBron has since stated he would have handled the scenario differently, but it is unknown in exact terms what he would change.
Culminating with other factors that preceded it (already listed), James' rabid antagonists had more fuel to root against him.
Cleveland loved it, though.
No. 1: Attaining vs. Achieving
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at·tain
to come to or arrive at, especially after some labor or tedium
a·chieve
to bring to a successful end; carry through; accomplish; to get or attain by effort; gain; obtain
I obtained the definitions above from Webster's dictionary. The difference between attaining and achieving I think markedly defines the basic beef that most LeBron haters have with his decisions.
They feel that instead of achieving (carrying through, accomplishing) his goal in Cleveland to bring the team and himself that critical NBA championship, he left for Miami to attain it.
The perception is one of a man who flew south to come to a title and arrived at a more convenient place to obtain one.
Make no mistake that LeBron is a great player who will have earned it either way. But, the difference is in the "how" it was earned. Was it achieved? Or was it attained?
Right or wrong, the public's perception is that he took the easy way out in order to save his legacy.
I was listening to Mad Dog radio, and I encountered a quote which I will paraphrase as it echoes the sentiment of so many of the haters.
"He could win 30 championships in Miami and it wouldn't be worth what one championship would have been to him in Cleveland."
