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It has been almost a month since sports media was in a blaze as it reported that former NBA and Finals MVP, LeBron James, would be taking his talents east, choosing to play his twenty-fourth season with the Philadelphia 76’ers, leaving the Los Angeles Lakers after an 8-year run. The story would take a life of itself, shifting from various talking points and hot takes. You couldn’t turn on ESPN or other major media networks without hearing about what this move means not just to the league, but to LeBron’s legacy. As a basketball fan, you could imagine my frustration as sports analysts and former players alike expressed their thoughts and opinions, which quite frankly, didn’t quite line up with my opinion, or to what I witnessed as a fan of the sport for over 40 years.

So, I’ve decided to provide a take of my own.

Bear with me. I’m not as seasoned nor as talented as the likes of The Real Mind Crime, Uncut Hoops, Dreamers Pro or The Basketball Show, the YouTubers that actually discuss statistics and topics in context rather than in a vacuum, but I’ll do my best to make them proud. Let’s kick off this multi-part series by tackling the first subject which I like to call…

The Hype of the Chosen One!

When it comes to LeBron James and discussing his career, we need to go back to his days before he came out of high school and entered the NBA draft. The media was feasting on the hype that was this young phenom from Akron, Ohio, who was a man amongst boys. Words like “the Chosen One” decorated sports headlines. It seemed that sports media and the league had found the basketball savior that would take the league to new heights and into a bright future. So, we have to ask ourselves; did LeBron live up to the hype?

Well, no. He didn’t.

His first go in Cleveland is where the hype bus for LeBron would crash. The early years would be the learning curve just as with all other rookies and LeBron would be no different. The Cavs did win 35 games in the 2003-2004 season, which was an 18-game increase from the year before. They would also win 42 games in the 2004-2005 campaign. The following season, LeBron would finally get to experience post-season play, as the Cavs would win the fourth seed in the east with a 50-32 record. He would even taste early success, dismissing the Washington Wizards 4-2 in a best-of seven series. However, inexperience would set in as the Cavs would lose to the gritty and battle-tested Detroit Pistons in the semifinals.

LeBron and the Cavs would build off of this momentum the following season, again winning 50 games and placing second in the east. This time, they would defeat their demons in the Detroit Pistons in the conference finals but would be swept 4-0 by the well-oiled machine that is the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. The 2007-2008 season would prove challenging. LeBron was in excellent form; however, delays in player signings and injuries took its toll, with the Cavs winning only 45 games that year and earning 4th place in the east. The Cavs would fall to the eventual champs, the Boston Celtics and their three-headed monster of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in the semifinals.

The Cavs would get back to their winning ways in 2008 as they would set a franchise win record with 66 wins for the year, which was enough for the not only the top spot in the east, but the league as well. James wouldn’t be done there as he would also win his first league MVP award. Although Cleveland was one of the heavy favorites to win it all that year, LeBron and the Cavs couldn’t quite match up against Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic, as the Cavs would lose 4-2 in the conference finals. The Cavs would once again sit atop the league, winning 61 games and earning home court advantage throughout the playoffs and finals. But that would prove useless as the Cavs would be sent home once again, losing 4-2 in the semifinals to the Boston Celtics.

So, why is this important to bring up? And why not discuss LeBron’s run with Miami, his return to Cleveland, and his time with the Lakers?

Well, let’s get to that.

LeBron’s first run with Cleveland is especially important to bring up and where I conclude is because it is here that the hype truly fades and we see not just what kind of player LeBron James really is, but we see his mental toughness, or lack of it. This is a very crucial point because most LeBron James fans like to excuse LeBron’s shortcomings by saying he was placed under so much pressure from the beginning of his career. I’m sure calling yourself the “chosen one” and “King James” before stepping on to a NBA court would place a tremendous amount of pressure on anyone, particularly when you decide to go and play with other great players instead of taking the hits and working through the process of getting better.

Here’s some food for thought. What if the media is printing negative stories about you? What would the pressure feel like if instead of hearing how you’re the greatest thing since sliced bread, you’re hearing how your style of play won’t translate to winning while trying to turn your franchise around? Someone should check in on Michael Jordan, who faced this type of criticism during his early years with the Chicago Bulls. Sure, the media talked about his scoring ability and his gravity-defying athleticism, but they also said he wouldn’t win because, at that time, winning on the back of a dominant scoring guard didn’t seem possible with dominant centers in the league. I think it is safe to say that Jordan didn’t buy into the hype, nor did he take his talents to South Beach.

After all, hype without substance is just a lot of loud noise. And the LeBron James fanbase is booming.

Thank you for reading. So, what do you think? Do you think that LeBron James faced too much pressure early on in his career and do you think that affected is performance during his time in Cleveland before leaving to Miami? Do you think this situation adds to the argument of LeBron James being the greatest of all time? Feel free to discuss in the comments below. And be on the lookout for Part 2 coming soon!