From Hatred to Admiration: The LeBron James Story

By: Nick Kapetan (@KapN93)

There are some events in life that are so impactful, that you remember exactly where you were when they occurred. What happened on the evening of July 8, 2010 was one of the events that is still ingrained so vividly in my head. On that night, LeBron James made his “decision” and decided to cheat the system by forming the Big Three that WAS the Miami Heat. 

I was at a restaurant celebrating my friend’s birthday when the disheartening news broke that LeBron would not be joining my hometown team, the Chicago Bulls, but instead chose to head south. When I read on my phone that he chose Miami, I remember slamming my fists against the table and making a scene in an establishment filled with elderly people that smelled like mothballs and probably thought LeBron was a rapper that their disrespectful grandkids were listening to. 

That moment right there of hearing that LeBron decided to essentially use the cheat codes in pursuit of an NBA championship was what sprouted my hate towards the man. Like most people across the country that had no affiliation with the Heat, I cheered more so for LeBron to lose than for whomever he was playing to win. My hatred formed from that fact that I was jealous that LeBron did not come to the Bulls. If LBJ said that he wanted to “take his talents to the land of deep dish pizza and hot dogs without ketchup”, I would have been ecstatic.

Maybe it was because of how LeBron orchestrated the “not 1, not 2, not 3” premature celebration that cemented my hate for him. Maybe it was the fact that the Bulls received the worst consolation prize ever in Carlos Boozer that made me despise LBJ. Whatever it was, there was no telling that I hated the Heat, their bandwagon fans, and what they stood for. That being said, there is no debating that if LeBron ever came to the Bulls, my pure disgust in the man would turn into pure admiration. 

Do not lie to yourself, if LeBron James went to your favorite team, you would instantly run out and get a James jersey and brag that you are the biggest LBJ fan ever. This might now be possible after LeBron decided to opt out of his contract with the Heat. 

If you are a Bulls fans you would proclaim that the next Jordan has arrived, if you are a Clippers fan you would yell to the heavens how your team has the final piece to the puzzle, hell if you were a Cavaliers fan and LeBron returned home you would bow down and ask him for forgiveness. 

There is no denying that LeBron is one of the greatest players in NBA history. His recent discovery of post moves to complement his ability to shoot from anywhere on the floor makes him an all around force. Inserting him into any lineup, and he drastically improves whatever team he signs with. This is so obvious my seven year cousin can comprehend it. Then why do some people not want LeBron to play for their favorite team? 

Humans are known to hold grudges. For some idiotic reason fans’ hatred of LeBron for “stealing” two NBA championships clouds their judgment. However, in order to be competitive in the modern NBA, it’s like the old saying goes: “adapt or die”.

The NBA has transformed into a players league where a team needs to have at least three superstars to even be considered in the running for a championship. Even the most anti-super team people in the world should know that their team is not going to win crap if there is not a superstar in the mix. Landing the best player in the NBA would put any team on the fast track for sustained success. 

This summer of NBA free agency should be filled with excitement. All you sports fans who proclaim that “I hate baseball because it’s boring, when does the NFL and NBA start”, will be entertained by the hoopla that will follow once LeBron is close to making another decision. 

Put your hatred of LeBron aside. The guy is not as cocky as he used to be. It is not like Michael Jordan wasn’t a pain in the rear that thought he was above the world. Just check out the guy’s Hall of Fame speech. Not accepting LeBron on your team is like not accepting Kate Upton if she decided to leave Justin Verlander and become your girlfriend. 

No matter where LeBron goes, the next month of NBA free agency will be one of the most important and exciting in history. If my prayers come true and LeBron chooses the Windy City as his next home, that will be another event I, and the whole nation, will never forget. 

Agree or disagree with Kap's take on LeBron? Leave a comment below the link.

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