“Oh, I’m the Face of the NBA”: LeBron James Discusses Responsibility and Professionalism Upon Being a Star

LeBron James is arguably one of the greatest players ever to grace the NBA hardwood. Additionally, the 4x NBA champion very well realizes his responsibility as a superstar and the amount of influence he has on the younger generation as a professional basketball player. After defeating the New York Knicks last night, in a clip posted by Oh No He Didn’t on X (formerly Twitter), the Lakers superstar spoke to the media in the locker room about his responsibilities of playing at the highest level of professional basketball,

“It is a responsibility. You know, there are so many kids who look up to us as professional basketball players, look up to us as NBA guys, looked up to me in my two-plus decades as part of the league.”

Playing in the league for more than two decades, James  highlighted his responsibilities towards it as well, So, I think it is my responsibility to play the game at the highest level and represent the league with the utmost respect, give back to the league as the league has given me so much, and set an example for the next generation.” 

James is currently the leading scorer in the league’s history and has been a constant feature in the GOAT discourse, comparing him to Michael Jordan. However, unlike many other legends who were earlier deemed as the league’s faces, James understands not to get high on such an attribution.

Adding to his statement, LBJ said, “‘Oh, I’m the face of the NBA,’ I’ve never even said that. I have just always understood it as a responsibility to be a professional, to be a pro. And I have always done that on and off.”

LeBron James’ statements prove that he is much more than one of the greatest players in the league. Aside from being a devoured family man, James is also a leader in his community, encouraging the younger generation to follow his lead in achieving big in basketball or any other domain. It might be the reason why the King remains aloof from any needless controversies as well.

LeBron James has never created a major controversy since ‘The Decision’

The last time LeBron James had to bear the brunt of controversy was when he released ‘The Decision,’ announcing his move from the Cleveland Cavaliers to Miami Heat. The infamous ESPN documentary created much fervor, even forcing the Cavs owner to send a crazy letter blaming James for his ‘cowardly betrayal’.

However, James continued pursuing his career goals relentlessly and never faced much controversy that could have derailed his NBA career. Through his two decades in the league, James had always been under the microscopic scrutiny of the media and fans. He would be questioned and dug for his minor slip-ups, which made him adapt carefully to maintaining his image in the league.

However, all of such adversities never deterred LBJ in any aspect. Today, James is a billionaire, supported by his loving family, and continues to play the game at the highest level even at 39 years of age, which puts him rightfully among the top features in the GOAT conversation.