The world seems to be buzzing incessantly about the statements made by former NBA great Calvin Murphy, who said that it's true that LeBron James has been noticeably upset about the his mother sleeping with teammate Delonte West. We've covered that issue here on BV. Been there, done that. Now, let's move on to what this really means in terms of sports.

The biggest question in the minds of most Cleveland Cavalier fans is not who LeBron's mother is sleeping with but who LeBron will be dressing with next season. With James hitting the free agent market this summer, the entire NBA could be knocked on its side if he makes the predicted leap to a bigger spotlight.
Quite a few NBA observers have taken notice of LeBron's friendship with the rapper Jay-Z, who is part owner of the New Jersey Nets. Yes, that's nice, but I'm sure LeBron has a lot of friends. The real power player for the Nets might be the only friend that matters for LeBron, and he's probably a guy you've never heard of.

Meet Mikhail Prokhorov.

Prokhorov is not just a Russian billionaire and true owner of the Nets, he is also a man who likes to win. You don't become a billionaire by thinking small, and Prokhorov has already made it clear that he's willing to spend whatever it takes to get in to the winner's circle and make his Nets an international brand. Spending a lot of money to win won't make much of a difference for LeBron, since he's going to get something close to the maximum contract no matter where he goes. It does matter that his boss is willing to do what's necessary to put winning talent around LeBron to allow him to shine the way he was supposed to shine several years ago.

Even better for LeBron is the fact that, like Prokhorov, James has always had his sights set on overseas opportunities. He stopped hearts in the NBA a few years ago by stating that he would even consider playing overseas. At the very least, there is evidence that he wants to see if his brand can sell in other countries the way it does here in the United States. Given that the Nets have another team across the river (the Knicks) that has also shown it is willing to spend big in order to win, it's almost a given that you're going to see James playing somewhere in the Northeast next year.

Were it not for the pressure to leave, I'd normally predict LeBron to stay home in the Midwest. Growing up as an only child with maturity beyond his years, LeBron has always wanted to be a team player. For him to leave the place he started will surely tear at his heart, but there's another part of his heart that lives in the Big Apple, and LeBron's shine is simply too bright for the economically and socially damp surroundings he must endure in the Midwest. It's time for him to grow.


Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and the author of the new book 'Black American Money.' To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here.