I blame the people around him. I blame the lack of a father figure in his life. I blame us for feeding his narcissism to the point that he referred to himself in the third person five times in 45 minutes. I blame local and national writers (including myself) for apparently not doing a good enough job explaining to athletes like LeBron what sports mean to us, and how it IS a marriage, for better and worse, and that we're much more attached to these players and teams than they realize. I blame David Stern for not throwing his body in front of that show. I blame everyone. - Bill Simmons, ESPN


This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown "chosen one" sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And "who" we would want them to grow-up to become. But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called "curse" on Cleveland, Ohio. The self-declared former "King" will be taking the "curse" with him down south. And until he does "right" by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.- Cleveland Cavaliers Owner, Dan Gilbert


As I watch the LeBron James saga unfold, fans on television burning his jersey, team owners embarrassing themselves, and sports columnists sounding like a group of self-righteous Catholic Priests, I find myself stunned. People are wondering if LeBron's image will be tarnished forever, and whether he is suddenly a narcissistic and misguided jerk. This was hardly the conversation just a few months ago, and for some reason, the tone has shifted dramatically now that LeBron has the audacity to believe that he is the one who is in control of his own life.

I was shocked to see the public reaction to LeBron's decision, at least by those who have the nerve to be angry with him. Mind you, his decision to have a one hour, televised special might have been a bit much, but it's not as if the entire world wasn't waiting for his announcement. LeBron is one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA and he worked like no other to bring a championship to Cleveland without getting the support he deserved. Cav's owner Dan Gilbert's decision to blast James in public has put a serious curse on the team, to the point that I am sure the other owners and coach Byron Scott are wondering what they've gotten themselves into. Gilbert's promise that his team would bring home a title before LeBron not only fires up LeBron James, it will also make Dan Gilbert look that much worse when no serious free agent ever considers coming to his city. Nobody wants to play for a tyrant who attacks you for making a personal decision.

The haterology on LeBron surely weighs heavy on his mind, given that I truly believe that LeBron is not the kind of athlete who can easily overlook this kind of negative scrutiny. Growing up as an only child, he wants to be accepted and appreciated, which is much of what makes him such a team player. I am sure that hearing these negative comments will drive LeBron to play that much harder next year for Miami, and I guarantee he'll have a title in less than two years.

One other thing that King James has working in his favor is the rule of professional sports: "If you win, we forgive all sin." So, if Kobe Bryant can come back from serious rape allegations by winning a couple of titles, LeBron James can surely come back from this. The public backlash will be temporary and only serves to pique the public interest in the next NBA season.




Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.