Even the hardest stones can be broken by the strongest waves. LeBron James has been a rock for the NBA for 20 years, but there have been times when he felt like he would crack. It was at the time when he played in the 2016 NBA final, but there have been a few instances. Partly because of one guy (we all know who), LeBron has generally avoided responding to the vitriol spewed in his direction. But that is the case now. He wanted to be a people-pleaser 13 years ago when he was a young, fresh-faced 25-year-old.
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With social media on the rise, LeBron, like everybody else, was reading things about himself on the internet. During his first stint with the Cavaliers, rumors of his dissatisfaction with the organization circulated. Unsavory things were being said, and Bron, being a young man, wanted to deal with all the allegations.
Moving to Miami Heat was the best decision ever – Some may even call it the biggest offseason move ever
His first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers was great individually, but the team was wasting his prime years. In seven years, all he had to show for it was a failed NBA finals run in which he was defeated by Dwight Howard. Moving away from Ohio was the best move.
But the broadcast of that move did not sit right with everyone. At that time, it was the last thing people wanted to see. He was viewed as a pompous, arrogant, and self-centered NBA player who felt he was way bigger than the team.
But the move, in hindsight, was the right thing to do. He had allayed all fears and put rumors to rest. Forming a super team may have been a weak move, but he hadn’t jumped to a 73-9 team. He had moved to Miami, a team that barely made the 8th seed.
LeBron James is like any other human being – even the most thick-skinned players end up getting hurt
Bron has never acknowledged Skip Bayless in his 20-year career, but there is a chance that he’s come across a couple of his tweets. Those tweets have always been hurtful, and even in congratulatory messages, he has thrown thinly veiled insults in his face.
That gets under the skin, and when you are a young athlete with so much pressure, it gets to you even more. Athletes are just people with money, not magicians. And when you get 200 million when you are 25, things go haywire.
Professional athletes lose their personal lives once they become players; until they retire, they are under scrutiny. And players like Bron? They can never be normal again.
