LeBron James has a proven resume as one of the greatest players to have ever played the game of basketball. The 37-year-old has somehow managed to exceed the expectations set upon him when he was dubbed ‘The Chosen One’ before even playing a game in the league.
LeBron has lived up to the billing and served as the generational pole for this era of basketball, but is still treated in a bizarre way by certain fans and media members. The attempts to discredit his achievements have basically set a new norm in basketball discourse where what someone didn’t achieve has become a bigger point than what they did achieve.
James is reportedly the most trolled athlete in the world of sports, and Grant Hill is sympathetic to the rough treatment James receives. He spoke in support of James on JJ Redick’s podcast, recognizing that no player with the resume of LeBron has ever received such treatment before.
Grant Hill on LeBron:
“No player has ever endured, in my opinion..as much vitriol, abuse and slander that LeBron James has endured.”
(via @OldManAndThree) pic.twitter.com/ygLVxoKjWB
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 16, 2022
LeBron is a 4-time champion, 4-time Finals MVP, 4-time league MVP, has the most All-NBA selections all-time, is second all-time in All-Star selections, and is on course to become the league’s all-time leading scorer. These are incredible achievements for a player in any sport, let alone basketball.
While there is a conversation to be had with respect to Michael Jordan’s achievements and his peak as a basketball player, there is no player in the modern era that has shown the level of excellence that James has for as long as he has been playing.
Grant Hill and many players around the league have been sympathetic to this treatment that LeBron has received, but James has let the achievements on the court do their talking. The older LeBron gets, the more people appreciate him, but he will have to keep battling haters his entire life.
