LeBron James

Unless you have been living in a vacuum, you have probably heard about the LeBron James drama. In case you have not heard yet, you can read all about it here. LeBron is contemplating leaving his hometown of Cleveland to play basketball at a more exciting city such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, or Miami. LeBron has decided to make his announcement to the public during an hour long special Thursday night on ESPN. LeBron grew up in Akron, Ohio, which is about an hour south of Cleveland where he currently plays basketball. He went straight from high school to the NBA which is now impossible in case you missed my NBA Blog. He did not have an easy life in Akron, but he grew to be an astounding athlete despite his rough childhood. Now, he has proven to be more than just a high school phenom; he has won the NBA MVP two years in a row, beating the likes of Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, and numerous other stars. After all of his success in Cleveland, he is now at the end of his contract and has to decide where would be the best place for him to continue his career. He has been wooed by some incredible teams, and despite all the press coverage, there does not seem to be a clear frontrunner. LeBron has made no secret of his love of New York City, even wearing a Yankees cap while watching the Yanks taking on his hometown Indians. Does that mean that the New York Knicks have a good chance of taking LeBron way from his beloved Cleveland? The answer is murky. The Knicks have secured Amare Stoudemire to their team, which could be an enticing offer to James since Stoudemire is a stellar player, and the Knicks received confirmation that the signing of Stoudemire would not hinder the pursuit of James. The Bulls were once the frontrunner for James, but they have been unable to secure any other superstars in Chicago, so the buzz around the Bulls seems to have faded slightly. They still have the up-and-comer Derrick Rose, who happens to also be a hometown boy, born and raised in Chicago. Despite LeBron’s interest in the Bulls, he has to be considerate of the comparisons he would get to Michael Jordan if he joined the famed team. Even if James feels that he could possibly turn the Bulls around, would it be worth it if everything he does will be compared to what Michael did? I don’t think so. Although the LA Clippers and New Jersey Nets are still in the running, they seem to have fallen slightly behind the pack, so that leaves people wondering if James is headed to Miami. If he went to Miami, he would be joining greats like Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade, but Wade and Bosh made their announcements this morning, so if LeBron was going to join them, why wouldn’t he have made his announcement, too? Maybe because LeBron still has not made up his mind? Maybe because LeBron wants his own moment of glory when he announces he is leaving Cleveland? Or maybe, just maybe, it’s because LeBron is going to stay put in his hometown where he belongs. LeBron knows that if he leaves Cleveland, it will be devastating to the city. I’ve even heard that LeBron leaving would cost the Cavaliers twenty million, and that’s not even counting the loss in ticket sales if King James is not on the team. Cleveland needs LeBron, and I think that LeBron, deep down, needs Cleveland. It’s his hometown, it’s where he grew up, and frankly, it’s his life. Who would be willing to leave his legacy? Especially a legacy that is unfinished since he has yet to bring a title to his beloved city. I hope LeBron stays in Cleveland because I feel that Cleveland is the underdog, and who doesn’t root for the underdog? Stay put, LeBron. It just makes sense.