“The Quote Heard Round the World”
If you or anyone you know has turned on a television in the past five years you’ve more than likely heard the name “LeBron James”. LeBron James is a phenomenal all-around athlete, and arguably one of the greatest basketball players to ever live. As of late, LeBron’s antics off the court have been almost as eye popping as his performance on the court. After being selected the number one pick overall in the 2003 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron spent seven seasons playing in Cleveland before becoming a free agent in 2010. That summer, LeBron once again took to claiming the off court spotlight.
In his first summer of free-agency, LeBron was the most sought after player in the league. Averaging 29.3 points for his career, LeBron has one of the most prolific offensive arsenals of anyone in the league. Every team that had room in their budget was pleading for James to join their team. The most notable of these teams were the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, and New York Knicks. After long deliberation and dragging his decision out as long as he possibly could, LeBron finally held a nationally televised TV special called “The Decision,” and informed his loyal fans and anyone else who cared to listen that he was “taking his talents to South Beach.”
After his less-than-quiet decision to leave Cleveland, the city that saw his rise to super-stardom, LeBron had almost as many enemies as he did fans. Citizens of the city of Cleveland began to burn LeBron’s jersey in the streets. Once the hero to a city who hadn’t seen basketball success in a number of decades, LeBron soon turned into the most hated man in Cleveland.
Ever since the summer of 2010, LeBron has been widely known for sticking his foot in his mouth on a regular basis. This year after his Miami Heat lost in the finals, LeBron was quoted saying, “All the people that were rooting for me to fail, at the end of the day, they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life they had before they woke up today.” He then continued on in a paragraph of “I’m richer and more famous than you” manner, and even further humiliated himself and turned fans against him.
It’s just one of the most recent and more high-profile examples of how much of a ruckus an athlete can cause, and a reminder of just how powerful a well-known athlete can be. It’s also a scary reminder of just how influential the media can be, especially when it comes to sports and an athlete’s image.
