LeBron James has always had his fair share of critics. Regardless of when he was in his rookie year, or now that he prepared to enter his 19th season, James has been the subject of harsh criticisms from fans and analysts.
The source of these criticisms is usually fans who expect better from James or the people who hold him accountable for things that weren’t his fault.
Perhaps there is no time that James was under fire more than his 4-year stint in Miami. James became the most hated player in the NBA overnight when he announced his decision to join the Miami Heat in 2010.
James’ failure in the 2011 NBA Finals gave the critics plenty of ammunition. But James bounced back and won the following two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013. In 2014, James and the Heat were aiming for a threepeat.
But the Indiana Pacers stood in their way. Led by Paul George, the Pacers had become a solid contender under the stewardship of Frank Vogel. The Pacers proved to be quite the test for the Heat.
In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, James had a horrendous performance, putting up a meagre 7 points and almost fouling out of the game. After the game, James received criticism from the unlikeliest source; his son Bronny.
Bronny saw LeBron at home the next day and shared his disappointment in his father’s poor performance. Perhaps that was the motivation LeBron needed to wrap up the series and reach the NBA Finals once again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPBM7PtnFvk
“After I come from Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals this year, we got home late from Indiana. I got up, it was a late day. I was in the kitchen about to eat, my oldest son came up to me and says ‘7 points, 5 fouls?’ And he just walked away. And I’m like ‘you better get away from me right now’. That’s exactly what I said, and he runs away. ‘You only had 7 points and 5 fouls?’”
James has shown, as he has matured in his career, that he doesn’t let criticism faze him. James has continued to improve himself and perform at a high level throughout his career.
