She Got Game Media
Miami

 David Stern Should Thank King James

Miami, Florida, July 13, 2010

The Benjamin Report

By Marcus Benjamin

The NBA strikes again! Is it coincidence or does the League seem to have perfect timing for just about everything? The 2010 free agency extravaganza felt like a season in the off-season. Need I remind you this is a league where only 17 teams out of 30 total teams have ever won a championship? That’s the least of the four major sports, yet the all mighty NBA has once again brilliantly seized the spotlight and generated unprecedented buzz; this time with its free agents, the mightiest of whom is LeBron James.

Last month’s NBA Finals that went the distance and ultimately awarded the Lakers another NBA Championship seems like old news doesn’t it? Sorry Kobe Bryant, but there’s no time to bask in the glory of your fifth championship, there’s a new sheriff in town and his name is James…King James. The league’s focus is now squarely on him and the NBA is making sure our focus is on him as well.

The Lebron saga has been of epic proportions to say the very least. There has not been a time in sports history when a 6-time all-star and 2-time MVP generated such brilliant public relations. The anticipation of his decision which ESPN actually branded as “The Decision,” had sports and even non-sports fans in the possible destinations on pins and needles wondering WWLD? (What Would Lebron Do?) What if the best young player to play in the NBA comes to our town? Cleveland of course was wondering what will happen to our town if he leaves. The media bought into the hype as if James is the second coming. In a week, everyone had an opinion as to where the basketball giant would go.

The hype surrounding Lebron James’s decision will no doubt set a new precedent for other current and aspiring professional athletes. The more you stall the more attention you draw to yourself. According to the Huffington Post, The Nielsen Company estimates that 9.95 million people watched LeBron James announce on ESPN that he's leaving Cleveland to play for the Miami Heat, making it the third-most-watched program on cable television this year. "The Decision" that aired Thursday night ranks behind the 12.3 million who watched the NFL Pro Bowl and 11.2 million who watched an episode of "ICarly" on Nickelodeon in January.

With Lebron now heading to fun and sun in Miami, Cleveland is now left with the thought of “what if?” What if he had a legitimate superstar next to him, what if we cleared enough cap room to make that possible and what if Lebron stayed? Instead Cleveland owner, Dan Gilbert, bashed the once praised superstar for leaving his home state. “Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there,” said Gilbert. “Sorry, but that’s simply not how it works.” He went on to say that Lebron is narcissistic and that his acts were a cowardly betrayal. “The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your home town Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.”

The Cleveland Cavalier’s ownership has certainly betrayed the city for letting “the King” go. The best athlete to wear a Cleveland jersey since Jim Brown has left Cleveland because he felt that he had a better chance to win a championship elsewhere. Cleveland should take responsibility for not catering to the King. It is the city with the longest drought of winning a championship since 1964, and who knows now how much longer that will be. Who would want to go to a city that is loyal to losing? Gilbert hurt his chances of getting another big name to the city of Cleveland.

This certainly is not the first time that superstars have left cities that drafted them only to move on to winning franchises. Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen created a championship team in Boston joining forces with Paul Pierce. Was their reputation tarnished? I don’t think so. If the moves did anything, it solidified their spot among the NBA’s elite. The same will be said about Lebron James once he hoists the Larry O’Brien Trophy in Miami.

In the midst of this reality sports TV spectacle David Stern, the commissioner of the NBA is sitting pretty. In the aftermath of the NBA Finals, the biggest show in American sports continues to be the NBA. On draft night 2010, held in the Mecca of basketball, New York City, Knick fans booed David Stern as he spoke at the podium. Yet he stood there smiling embracing the obvious dislike from the crowd. As millions sat in front of their televisions waiting to see what Lebron would do, Stern had to be tickled pink over all the media hype, so in case he doesn’t say it publicly I’ll say it for him, thanks King James!