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“LeBron James did try to get me fired, I mocked The Decision like 400,000 times”: Former ESPN anchor Michelle Beadle addresses rumors of the Lakers superstar wanting her ouster from the sports broadcasting giant

Arjun Julka
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"LeBron James did try to get me fired, I mocked The Decision like 400,000 times": Former ESPN anchor Michelle Beadle addresses rumors of the Lakers superstar wanting her ouster from the sports broadcasting giant

Former ESPN anchor Michelle Beadle recently revealed that LeBron James tried to get her fired from the sports broadcasting giant. Beadle had mocked ‘The Decision’ on several occasions.

LeBron James is currently at a critical juncture of his career. With the championship window of the superstar closing, he is struggling with injuries and trying to develop team chemistry with his new roster.

In what many believe, this is the 36-year old’s last chance to get hold of the Larry O’Brien trophy. In the middle of this mayhem, former ESPN anchor Michelle Beadle recently made a controversial statement involving the four-time NBA champion.

During a podcast, Beadle revealed that the Lakers superstar tried to get her fired from ESPN. Beadle, who currently works for The Athletic, added that she had made a lot of fun of The Decision, referring to James’ decision to sign with the Miami Heat that made him an overnight villain in the NBA.

Also read: “I didn’t like nobody on the court, but do I respect LeBron James”: Paul Pierce gives his flowers to the King from Akron

Though it didn’t start off as personal, Beadle believes it will always be now. However, with so much on his plate, Beadle might have to wait for a response from James.

Michelle Beadle talks about LeBron James trying to get her fired from ESPN.

The former ESPN anchor returned to the media after a two-year hiatus with a podcast for The Athletic titled ‘What Did I Miss?’, Beadle had Paul Pierce as her guest. During the conversation, the sports reporter revealed about the umpteen times she had mocked The Decision.

LBJ’s decision to take his talents to the Miami Heat made him an overnight villain. The four-time Finals MVP drew hate from almost every corner, with fans going as far as burning his Cavaliers jerseys. The superstar was at the receiving end of a lot of unnecessary criticism.

Beadle, who worked with ESPN at the time addressed, how she had mocked James’ public announcement on several occasions. It came to a point where the seventeen-time All-Star wanted her ouster from ESPN.

Pierce, who was a guest on Beadle’s podcast, asked the latter to address the rumors of James trying to get her fired from ESPN.

“He tried,” she said of the rumor about James attempting to get her fired. “He did try, yup. He did try to do that. I was like, ‘Wow, I’m honored that I’m even on your mind. Thank you very much, sir. That’s a weird place for me to be.’ So, my stuff with him started not personal. I made fun of ‘The Decision’ like 400,000 other talking heads did at the time, and I think for some reason, that was it. So, it wasn’t personal, to begin with, it. It’s obviously, now it will always be personal.”

Also read: “Chris Paul spun me around and double-crossed me”: Fred VanVleet reveals his welcome to the NBA moment and being awestruck by the likes of LeBron James and Stephen Curry

Though reporters have the right to speak their minds and report with an unbiased mindset, they tend to cross the line at times. There is a thin line between criticizing and getting personal.

About the author

Arjun Julka

Arjun Julka

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Arjun Julka is a NBA author at The SportsRush. Basketball isn’t just a sport for this 26-year-old, who hails from Mumbai. He began watching the sport after stumbling upon a court in his society, helping him identify an undiscovered passion for the game of hoops. Now an ardent fan, Arjun supports Stephen Curry and the Warriors but also enjoys watching Giannis Antetokounmpo own the paint. When it comes to the GOAT debate, the TSR author feels LeBron James is yet to receive a lot of his due but cannot deny marveling at Michael Jordan’s resume.

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