LeBron James' Honest ESPN Interview Is Too Little Too Late

LeBron James gave a candid interview to ESPN’s Rachel Nichols the other day and told the world that he is done playing the role of basketball’s villain.

Noble?

Yes.

Effective?

No.

Had LeBron not spent a year embracing the bad guy role and living up to the new, evil image that he created for himself after he spurned Cleveland on national television to join the Miami Heat, this would have probably worked.

Instead, it just comes off as a ploy to gain sympathy from the public after his epic collapse in Finals against the Mavericks this past June.

He became, by far, the most criticized player in the NBA and it seemed that everyone now had an opinion on him because of his disappearing act late in important games and his inability to take over during crunch time.

LeBron should never have accepted the role of a heel in the league in the first place and would have been better served to conduct an interview like this immediately after the “Decision” aired and public sentiment turned against him.

It’s obvious he is unhappy and unable to play to the best of his abilities with the boos raining down, so apparently he is going to make a conscious decision to return to the “old” LeBron who is all about fun on the court and not anger.

It won’t be well received.

He was tolerated for his clowning-around on the court with the Cavaliers, but it will not sit well with fans anymore, especially not a year after the decision and the fact that the Heat already made the Finals with James.

LeBron can give as many poignant interviews as he wants but the simple fact that he stabbed his small, hometown team in the back to join an evil empire of superstars in Miami ensures he will never be loved by the fans again.