LeBron James is the greatest basketball player-businessman-activist of all time.
Read that again.
In one series, King James proved he has nothing more to prove, blazing a trail that may never be replicated; and he’s not finished.
He promised. He delivered. Your NBA Finals MVP: @KingJames pic.twitter.com/QbVJ6o3jGq
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 12, 2020
James was named Finals MVP after the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat with a 106-93 win in Game 6. He is now the first player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP with three different franchises.
In the pivotal Game 6 clincher, James finished with 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists and won the Finals MVP by a unanimous 11-0 vote.
During his post-game interview, he said resoundingly, “I want my damn respect.”
However, he may or may not receive his true flowers while he is still playing because the world has truly never seen anyone like LeBron James.
That is the problem. People hate what they don’t understand. A select few stand back in awe and appreciate bearing witness.
Congrats to my brother @KingJames on winning his 4th championship. Not bad for a washed up old guy! pic.twitter.com/mm0fylMbS7
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) October 12, 2020
An athletic hybrid of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, with the fearless activism of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and uncommon entrepreneurial wisdom while still playing.
LeBron James singlehandedly took all the bullets for the NBA’s forward-thinking stance on the protest movement. Everyone from Donald Trump to the UFC’s Colby Covington berated him for keeping the Black Lives Matter movement on the front lines.
He became the conscience of an entire league while still promising to bring the chip home for the most beloved Laker of them all, Kobe Bryant.
Both duties he took up with pride and he delivered on both.
When Colin Kaepernick began to kneel, LeBron James made unpopular statements of support before George Floyd‘s murder by the Minnesota Police department.
“Without y’all’s strength and loyalty, it wouldn’t have been possible.” –@KingJames to the Lakers Faithful pic.twitter.com/CgDZbvS7eM
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 12, 2020
He shepherded his childhood friends into moguls as Rich Paul became the go-to agent in the NBA and Maverick Carter a high-level executive in entertainment.
LeBron embraces his position as a role model, even though he is only expected to be an athlete. However, LeBron has aways known that with great talent and success comes great expectations.
"I want my damn respect too."
–LeBron James 👑 pic.twitter.com/yswlex0U8M
— ESPN (@espn) October 12, 2020
As an athlete, he has surpassed almost every great with the exception of Michael Jordan, although Michael Jordan played 81 fewer playoff games than James. Like Jordan, James has mastered the aura of invincibility in sports but unlike Jordan he pushed the culture forward in ways that Jordan couldn’t.
LeBron mastered the balance of athletics, business, activism, and family. This is a hybrid that has never existed in professional basketball. His haters can’t stand the glow that radiates off him like Eriq La Salle’s Jheri curl in Coming to America. LeBron has lived more lives in the spotlight than most have done in private.
Again, he is not done.
Check your insecurities at the door for the King has truly arrived. Once you stop hating on the greatness that is LeBron, then you will arrive too.
