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In the interview, James said "I don't think he ever cared about LeBron...My mother always told me: 'You will see the light of people when they hit adversity. You'll get a good sense of their character.' Me and my family have seen the character of that man."
Gilbert, in his letter, said that James' decision to leave Cleveland was "a shameful display of selfish betrayal." He also accused James of giving up during the playoffs.
LeBron made it clear that he always gave 100 percent to the Cavs. He also said that he doesn't regret his one hour televised show called "The Decision," which was watched by 10 million people. The event raised $2.5 million for Boys & Girls Clubs.
I was personally glad to see LeBron go to GQ to set the record straight. He didn't deserve the reaction he got from Dan Gilbert, and he's nowhere near being anyone's sports villain. In fact, he doesn't deserve any of this.
Dan Gilbert will pay a price for his public attack on James. No solid player with options is going to ever consider coming to Cleveland. Also, I suspect that Gilbert's promise that Cleveland will win a title before LeBron is both reckless and incorrect. LeBron is in this game to win championships, and Dan Gilbert is simply determined to embarrass himself.
On another level, I was surprised to see the criticism of James' decision coming from the likes of Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan. Jordan, Barkley and others seem offended that James would actually work together with Bosh and Wade to achieve his objectives, rather than spend his time fighting with them. But that's the difference between James, Jordan and Barkley. Barkley and Jordan are two men who've both had messy, complex and counter productive personal lives, all driven by an addiction to excessive, narcissistic behavior. Perhaps black men learning to work together rather than apart will allow us to rise in power as oppose to spending our times learning to destroy one another. When Bosh, Wade and James agreed to negotiate as a unit, they obtained power and leverage that allowed them to go head-to-head with team ownership. Jordan found himself consistently disrespected by Chicago's owners during his time as a Bull.
I, for one, applaud LeBron's move to Miami, and I also applaud LeBron James. But it is only by winning a title that he can make the haters sit down and shut up. That's exactly what he's going to do.
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. 
Comments: (16)
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By: johnny t on 8/19/2010 5:41PM
Of course you side with LeBron he is black and dan is white. You bare SO OBVIOUS, Lebron is the NEW era player ALL about the Money!! Its not just about DAN you MORON... It's also about the City, a City who needs all the Positive it can get and LeBron screwed them. He also did it like a coward on TV. You are Prejudice and a Biased person keep your opinions to yourself!!
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By: char char on 8/19/2010 6:20PM
Lebron, didnt owe the city of cleveland anything other than the 7yrs get agree to, and everyone was making money off Lebron with thier comments, and talk shows, interview, why not make money for himself, so what he took and hour, people had been prading around all, with comment here, a take here, then when he decide to do something to give back, he's a coward..
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By: bingo45lover on 8/19/2010 8:06PM
It's obvious that you are white but that is not the point. The point is Lebron was a free agent and just like any other free agent he had the right to either resign with the Cavaliers or go to another team, he chose the latter. You say it's about the city of Cleveland, since when did a pro sportsman of any sport make or break a city?
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By: puhleaasse on 8/20/2010 1:36PM
@ johnny t.. what does it matter that LeBron is Black.. i was under the impression that when your time was done and you were a free agent that you can decide where you want to go.. if he didn't want to stay in w/the Cav then y can't they understand that.. it's his choice.. he made the best decision for him..
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By: char char on 8/19/2010 6:29PM
I agree with Dr. Watkins comments, it's the best article I've read on the subject since Lebron made his decesion to leave Cleveland.
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By: Howard F on 8/19/2010 8:37PM
I agree with Barkley and Jordan. LeBron is too spineless to win a championship or multiple championships as the star of the team with a supporting cast as Kobe, Bird, Dr. J and Jordan did. If he was a man or the man, he would demanded that Bosh and Wade join him in Cleveland which could have been worked out via sign and trades. He could have brought happiness to a city that has never had a champion. Instead he punked out and went to Dwayne Wade's team, thus his place in history is questionable now and it will never have the validity and luster of Kobe's or Jordan's championships, if he wins one. Remember they still have to get past Orlando and Boston in the East.
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By: TINA on 8/20/2010 10:33PM
Why is it this man had to stay in Cleveland and bring that city anything? Just like anyone that chooses to move because they have a better opportunity somewhere else doesn't make that person bad. You do what you feel is going to work for you. Times have changed and everyone needs to stop referring to how Jordan and Barkley did it or even what they think. LeBron doesn't need their approval to validate his place in the NBA. Everyone knows the track record of both of those men. LeBron hasn't done any of that crap they have done and everyone is acting like he's killed someone. It was his decision and choice to make and he did... As for a supporting cast... he didn't have one and I am sure he was tired of carrying all that dead weight every playoff game. If he had an off night... no one ever stepped up and that's FACT!!! Regardless of what anyone thinks he did it his way, which is what we all try to do!!! Leave it alone dang!!!! Either you're a fan or you're not but leave the negativity out of it. Isn't there enough of that in the world already?
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By: randysrt10 on 8/19/2010 9:24PM
Lebron will choke with any team, just like he did in the playoffs with Cavs. I hope he brakes his wrist or ankle so severly he will never play again.
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