Veteran NBA analyst Skip Bayless reveals LeBron James prepared an ‘I told you so’ list after going up 2-1 against the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals.
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It’s no secret that Skip Bayless can never get enough of LeBron James, having covered him since his days in high school. Known by many as a LeBron hater, Skip doesn’t leave any opportunity to critique the kid from Akron, with LBJ being a daily topic of debate on his show Undisputed.
It’s been almost two decades, but James has never responded to Skip or paid any heed to his comments. The Lakers superstar has maintained a dignified silence over the Fox Sports analyst’s constant jibes at him. However, there was a time when LBJ thought of calling out Skip.
During a recent episode of The Skip Bayless Show, the veteran analyst revealed an interesting story that occurred during the 2011 NBA Finals, when the Miami Heat took on the Dallas Mavericks. The 2010-11 was James’ first season with the Heat post The Decision.
According to Skip’s former ESPN colleague Stephen A. Smith, James had prepared an ‘I told you so’ list after going up 2-1 against the Mavericks in the Finals. The highlight of this list was Skip being no.1 on it.
Skip Bayless reveals the one time LeBron James almost addressed him in public.
LBJ’s first season in Miami was a roller-coaster ride, with the eyes of the world on him. The Heat did have their share of struggles initially but found their way eventually under coach Erik Spoelstra. Having missed out on the MVP award to Derrick Rose, James wanted to make a mark.
The Heat forward would put the clamps on D-Rose during the ECF proceeding to make his second NBA Finals appearance, where he met Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks. After going up 2-1 against the Mavs, James had apparently planned to address his critics, with Skip being a top priority.
“After the 2011 Finals, it felt like LeBron had finally decided, I was a lost cause,” said Skip.
“My friend Stephen A. Smith told me that he was told that LeBron went straight back to his hotel room in Dallas and made a list of people he was going to tell, ‘I told you so and you so….” and Stephen A. told me that no.1 on that I told you list was yours truly.”
Skip revealed how James would fold in the following Games Four, Five, and Six, playing the three worst Finals games of his career.
“Chosen one became the frozen one. In those three games, he averaged only 15-points a game, from the three, he was 2-of-12, from the free-throw line he was 4-of-10, he averaged 5-turnovers in those three games, including six in the closeout game.”
“I could only shrug and say I told you so,” concluded Skip.
Though Skip had the last laugh, James would go on to win back-to-back championships in the following years and was the Finals MVP each time.
