LeBron James and Dwyane Wade Mocking Dirk Nowitzki's Illness: Is It a Big Deal?

With all the intense scrutiny that LeBron James and the Miami Heat have endured during the 2011 NBA Finals, the last thing they should want is to draw more negative attention to the team.

That is exactly what happened on Friday, when a video was released by a bevy of media outlets of the Heat’s two biggest stars poking fun at Dirk Nowitzki's illness.

Dirk has been suffering from flu-like symptoms since Game 4 but has still managed to perform at a high level. The Heat’s dynamic duo mocked Dirk by coughing and jokingly discussed how they  were getting sick. Now that the media has gotten ahold of this footage, expect a firestorm of criticism.

Is it warranted?

Many will look at this footage and suggest it’s just two players joking around and having fun. Others will see it as an immature act by two of the biggest players in the NBA.

The ironic thing is that both LeBron and Wade have played sick in games in the past and both players made it known to the media.  Regardless of the outcome or the reason behind the mocking, the timing was horrible.

The video was taped before Game 5, and the Heat lost the game. The Heat don’t seem to be focused on basketball and the video could be evidence of that. 

LeBron has all the negative press that a player could need, and he just made that worse. This footage will distract the Heat, as they will undoubtedly have to field endless questions about their motives.  LeBron is public enemy No. 1 in the NBA right now and Wade will join him in the spotlight after this performance.

It could be said that this video will inspire the Mavericks to play harder. This is exactly the kind of bulletin-board material that teams use to get fired up before a big game. This is not good for the Miami Heat, considering the Mavericks are just one game away from clinching the NBA title.

This video is poison for the Heat right now. It shows two classless players making fun of a top-notch athlete after a gutty performance.

Both Wade and James know better. The camera was right in front of them and they put on a show for all to see.

Inevitably, both players will most likely blame the media for hyping the story, but the only ones to blame for this video are James and Wade.

James Brown is a B/R Featured Columnist. Feel free to contact James at [e-mail].