LeBron James has been among the best players in the league for the last 15 years. Ever since he made his debut back in 2003, it was pretty apparent that LBJ was something special. Despite being only an 18-year-old, the forward played like a man among boys.
Over the 19 seasons he has played in the league, ‘King James’ has broken countless records and is well on his way to breaking the All-Time scoring record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the upcoming season. Given his greatness, it is fair to see why James has been compared to greats like Michael Jordan for the longest time.
Seen as the heir to MJ’s throne, LeBron has often been the subject of constant comparison and scrutiny. This is certainly visible when the conversations of the GOAT debate start. While Bron might have broken many more records and might have had a much more stacked resume in comparison to say Jordan, the fact that the 4-time champion has lost multiple times in the Finals, has often been brought to the foray and thus the disrespect for Bron continues.
Recently, analyst Shannon Sharpe claimed that LBJ is perhaps the most disrespected player in the league. In a recent appearance on Undisputed, Sharpe said:
https://twitter.com/undisputed/status/1562832316485238784
“He has exceeded everything you could have possibly thought he could be, but he’s still not Jordan. He’s not graceful like Kobe, and he cake walked the East.”
Sharpe certainly raises a fair point. While Bron perhaps has already established himself as one of the best ever to do it, it is fair to say that he is often the most criticized player on the court. Be it him making a comment or missing a shot, LBJ and debates surrounding him are a constant in NBA media.
With LeBron entering his 20th season shortly, the Lakers superstar might be leaving the game sooner than later. Given how game-changing the addition of LeBron James was to the NBA, it is high time that fans and pundits stop criticizing Bron and enjoy his greatness while it lasts.
