LeBron James has stirred up an interesting conversation in the league after he backed Anthony Edwards for not wanting to be the “face of the league.” He irked media personalities but at least he enabled fans and the media to acknowledge the issue that exists in how the sport is covered and perceived.
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After his statement went viral and multiple NBA shows covered it, criticised it, some even welcomed it, LeBron again took to X to explain his message. He claimed it was never about the “face of the game” but instead “about the culture of basketball.”
Following Lakers’ fifth win in a row, LeBron talked to Scott Van Pelt of SportsCenter from the court. The two revisited the conversation, discussing generations of basketball and the positive perception James envisions for the sport he loves.
In his emotional statement, the 40-year-old emphasized the importance of protecting the game. LeBron said that players from different generations get on the floor every night for the love of the game.
He also acknowledged the contributions made by the previous generations and how their generation respected them. Finally, he claimed his generation too aspired to leave the league in a better position for the next generation.
He said, “Me, Steph [Curry], KD [Kevin Durant], Russ [Westbrook], James [Harden], Kawhi [Leonard], the rest of our crew. And then we got the younger generation that’s doing their thing as well.”
LeBron acknowledged that it’s their responsibility to grow the game and represent it to the best of their abilities for a global audience. He also highlighted that basketball is “the best and most beautiful game in the world” and deserves constructive effort. He felt the need to do so because he believes there’s a lot of negativity that’s surrounding the game today.
Bron was clearly baring his heart in that short segment. It wasn’t about his own reputation or perception. He was genuinely concerned for the future of the game he loves.
After all, he has dedicated more than half of his life to the sport. He started as an 18-year-old, right out of school. And now he is a 40-year-old, father of three, whose son is in the league too.
But more than that, he is a true admirer of the game and when he says something with such passion, we must, as a mark of respect, listen and ponder, even if we at the end of it all might disagree.
