Originally Posted by
toooskies
The super-team in Miami is quite interesting. Remember when Jon Scheyer decided not to play at Illinois, even though he grew up there and was coached by the brother of Illinois' head coach? Honestly, the situation played out very much like many college recruitments do. It's very strange how different the perspective becomes when you can treat pro basketball so very differently.
Being a former Clevelander, I both am upset about Lebron's departure for the city and also understand him leaving. One influencing factor in me choosing Duke for my higher education is that I wanted to see a team I root for win a championship-- and Duke obliged in 2001 at the end of my Freshman year. I've lived in Durham ever since, although I still root for the Cleveland teams.
The thing that upsets people most, really, is that individuals/consumers/fans, despite making it possible for athletes to play a game professionally, have exactly zero negotiating power in the final equation. There's nothing anyone could do except hold up posters imploring LBJ to stay. Fans are once again disposable to the players on the court, because there will always be new fans in a new place.
And at the end of the day, to do that means Lebron wasn't really a Northeast Ohioan like everyone in Cleveland presumed he was. Clevelanders built up a myth that he was like everyone still there. He got a tattoo of the word "Loyalty". He gave no indication he wasn't completely comfortable and happy there, except his teams kept losing in the playoffs (although the losses could all be traced back to his own poor play).
Other than catching lightning in a bottle and magically growing a second banana, Cleveland couldn't have done anything better. Remember, they didn't give up a single player of consequence to acquire their current best players (Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison, Shaq). They haven't had a single draft pick pan out-- which is an organizational problem, but they only had one top 10 pick since Lebron, so that's not a great tragedy. They haven't been able to sign a free agent of any value because Lebron wouldn't say whether he'd be around for their entire contract.
Finally, Cleveland had prepared itself to lose out to Lebron's other interests. Be the superstar in Chicago, since he rooted for the Bulls as a kid? Sure. Try to be the "global icon" from New York (even the Nets)? Sure. Jump to LA, or demand to play in Dallas? Possible but unlikely. Cleveland thought that Lebron's aspirations were to accomplish something; to achieve something; to grow his individual star, because he has always embraced that individual star.
No-- he believes he wasn't getting what he was deserving in Cleveland, which was automatic championships for being the best player in the league. He didn't believe in himself enough to make something worthwhile in those other cities. Don't disguise this as "embracing team play", because he signed up in Miami when he only knew 3 of his future teammates. (And while they're friends, it's hard to say that they're closer than the entourage he's had since high school-- these aren't his inner circle buddies.) He knew he wasn't good enough, or wasn't willing to work hard enough, to be the Cleveland's Savior, even with everyone else giving their best effort.
But then again, those are pretty big shoes, even for a basketball player.