For the Lebron haters...

[Jordanj6502]

Boston over the hill rebuilding

Indy / Phi have some promise but really young and immature at times

And Chicago - We will be lucky to make the playoffs next year as we will be without Rose maybe all season and Deng at least half the season. Bulls I'm sad to say championship dreams may have died with Rose's injury.

Chicago will be fine next year. They will probably make the playoffs as a higher (worse) seed, and have a struggle in the first round or so. But Thibs is a good coach, they are a deep team, and honestly, who in the East will take their spot? Milwaukee? Detroit? Jersey if they get Howard I suppose, but then Orlando's spot opens up. The question is what will Rose be like when he gets back.

 

[Cyclonesince78]

There is not a single thing that I like about Lebron James, or his fans. Big deal took him half his career to win a ring. Took 3 NBA all stars joining up for it to happen.

 

[Yes13]

Chicago will be fine next year. They will probably make the playoffs as a higher (worse) seed, and have a struggle in the first round or so. But Thibs is a good coach, they are a deep team, and honestly, who in the East will take their spot? Milwaukee? Detroit? Jersey if they get Howard I suppose, but then Orlando's spot opens up. The question is what will Rose be like when he gets back.

The Bulls would be much smarter to tank next season and build with a healthy Rose and a top pick, instead of trying to win with the bunch they have. Chicago kinda looks like Cleveland with Lebron. Deng and Noah are good, but they aren't second and third options on a championship team.

 

[HoopsTournament]

How does winning a ring change the person that Lebron is? It doesn't. He is the most narcisistic player I have seen. For Lebron, it is all about Lebron. And not one, not two, not three, ..., not eight championships will change that.

Also, it is quite comical to think that if someone doesn't like Lebron, then they are "suffering" because he won. It is just a game. For me, if the Celtics don't win, it doesn't really matter. I was rooting for the Thunder, but I won't "suffer" because the Heat won. I will still sleep tonight. I will still have a job tomorrow. I still have my family. Lebron winning doesn't impact my life one bit.

 

[Jordanj6502]

The Bulls would be much smarter to tank next season and build with a healthy Rose and a top pick, instead of trying to win with the bunch they have. Chicago kinda looks like Cleveland with Lebron. Deng and Noah are good, but they aren't second and third options on a championship team.

I wouldn't mind that.

 

[Drive4cy]

I'm still not a fan but I respect what he did in the playoffs this year. There were a lot of times when Wade played bad, Bosh was out, etc and LeBron had to put that team on his back and carry them. To his credit he was able to do it and then he got some help in the Finals.

The Heat are still difficult to watch. Wade constantly cries for calls, Chalmers is way too cocky, and Battier tries to take 9 charges per game.

 

[Jordanj6502]

How does winning a ring change the person that Lebron is? It doesn't.

This is my thought as well... At least in regards to winning a ring.

He is the most narcisistic player I have seen. For Lebron, it is all about Lebron. And not one, not two, not three, ..., not eight championships will change that.

I don't know about most narcisistic... AI was up there. Stephon Marbury would probably win the award though.

 

[HFCS]

I still don't like him. But there are a lot of NBA players I don't like. Derek Fisher for example. Shane Battier. Manu Ginobili. Reggie Evans. Blake Griffin. Paul Pierce. Just off the top of my head. There are probably a lot more.

+1

I don't get why we're supposed to like them or be labeled "haters". My NBA team allegiance is older than any other team I cheer for including ISU. I've lived here for 12 years now. Why am I supposed to suddenly ditch my team and like guys who proclaimed themselves "the greatest trio to ever play the game" before they ever played together? If anything is irrational it's that.

The "haters of the haters" need to realize that you can dislike someone while acknowledging their skill, talent and accomplishments. If you fall in love with every single athlete who wins or is talented you're a pathetic front runner.

 

[HFCS]

I'm still not a fan but I respect what he did in the playoffs this year. There were a lot of times when Wade played bad, Bosh was out, etc and LeBron had to put that team on his back and carry them. To his credit he was able to do it and then he got some help in the Finals.

The Heat are still difficult to watch. Wade constantly cries for calls, Chalmers is way too cocky, and Battier tries to take 9 charges per game.

Spot on.

He had the statistically worst choke in NBA Finals history last year and redeemed himself this year with a great playoffs (minus a couple quiet finishes against Indiana) proving he is clearly the best player on Earth. Not sure how anybody could deny either one.

Still not getting why everyone needs to suddenly love the Heat. I guess we should all love the Hawkeyes any year they win the Big Ten or a BCS game, otherwise we're haters for not embracing them as the greatest team in the universe.

 

[Knownothing]

The heat won a title without him. The bulls didn't with that other guy. That is all.

 

[WinterVandebeer]

He used to be my favorite player when he was in Cleveland. The hometown kid with talent possibly above anyone in the history of the game. There is literally nothing the guy cannot do on a basketball court.

I hate him since the decision because of what an egotistical monster he is. "The King" is not a nickname you give yourself, no matter how talented. Elvis and Michael Jackson did not refer to themselves as the King. They earned it from others' high opinions of them. He held an hour special for his decision, something that no one player is great enough to deserve. Simply hold a press conference and inform the world of your decision. You are not better than the rest of the league. Also, I did not see why he left Cleveland because he felt he didn't have the team to win a championship. Cleveland was a #1 seed in 2009 and 2010, along with #4 or higher seed from 2006-2008. He had the teams that could win, he just didn't do it. He is physically a better basketball player than Michael Jordan, but he lacks the killer winning instinct. Jordan was simply the best and nobody would deny him of that.

Also, I just don't like the Heat at all. I have never liked Wade. He is very cocky, I never like that. I never been a fan of Bosh. I absolutely cannot stand Haslem, I dislike him most on the Heat, even more than Lebron. Not a fan of Miller or Battier. I do like Chalmers. Erik Spoelstra is the most overrated coach in the league. He does nothing IMO.

I will say I'm very happy to see Lebron-No-Ring jokes finally die. They were getting very old.

1. Lebron did not give himself the nickname "King James". Media heads created that before he even stepped foot on an NBA court.

2. The decision could not of been all his idea. ESPN saw the money they could make and jumped on it. Sure he could have said "No, I'll announce it in a press conference". But he didn't, and he probably wishes he could do it all over. Plus many people don't remember the banner in the back ground that advertised a charity. He made over 3 million for that charity just from the one hour. I doubt ESPN thought of doing that. They would have liked to keep as much profit as possible.

3. People hate on him about joining 2 other great players to win a championship. One is arguably going to be one of the best to ever play the game. But Try and look back on all the champions. Who is the last player to ever win the title by them self? Jordan had Pippen (a top 50 player ever), Duncan had parker and ginobli, Kobe had Gasol (before that Shaq), and you could go on and on. Lebron (with Cleveland) was the closest to do it himself other than Iverson and the Sixers. No one has won a title recently without a solid "second option". It wasn't I bad move to meet up with wade and bosh.

4. Not sure why people think he is cocky. I can't remember a quote of him being cocky. Sure he puts on the angry face after a big play, but that is just being in the moment. Many players have characteristics like that after big plays.

For having as much pressure as he has had to deal with, he has done a pretty amazing job.

 

[cyclones500]

LeBron James could have been the perfect "second-element" on a dynamic team.

If his career arc had evolved that way, he would achieve a lot of respect.

But from the get-go, he was sold by ESPN as the Next Big Thing when he was still in high school. If you want viewers to watch a high school phenom in prime time, I expect him to score 47 points.

That isn't his game. He's a high-echelon team-contribution stud. Why can't we value THAT?

 

[ISUCyclones2015]

I will always hate him.... always!

Call me irrational or butt-hurt. I don't care.

 

[jbindm]

Good for Lebron...he earned it. That was one hell of a run through the playoffs. After he **** the bed against the Mavs last year, I wasn't sure he had it in him to play well on the biggest stage. I was wrong on that count. Lebron is the best player in the game right now, and it's really not even close.

 

[clonefan10]

Dude's team just won the finals in 5 games, four straight, averaged 29 and 10 in the playoffs, triple double in the close-out game, yet he lacks the "killer winning instinct." That makes sense.

 

[fatkid1974]

Screw Lebron, I say congratulation to Juwann Howard. His solid bench riding time got the first Championship ring for any member of the fab 5.

 

[chuckd4735]

I honestly have never completely understood why everyone hates LeBron. IMO, the guy has a lot of unnecessary hate geared towards him. However, I completely understand why people don't like the Heat, and I'm one of them. I'm never going to be a fan of trying to buy championships (although I'm a Cubs fan and they arguably tired to do this). I miss the old NBA where all the superstars were on separate teams and all loved playing against each other trying to prove that they were the best. Watching the Dream Team documentary REALLY made me miss it.

All that being said, the new way of the NBA is what we have, and I'm not sure we will ever have an NBA like we did in the 80's and early 90's.

Ill be the first person to admit that what the Heat did last night may be one of the greatest playoff performances ever, and easily one of the best close-out performances ever.

 

[3TrueFans]

I don't really care for the NBA, but Lebron just doesn't seem like a very likeable guy. Certainly not like a Kevin Durant who seems like a very down to Earth, genuinely good guy, I think Lebron is a thug, or at least acts like a thug.

 

[Mr Janny]

I honestly have never completely understood why everyone hates LeBron. IMO, the guy has a lot of unnecessary hate geared towards him. However, I completely understand why people don't like the Heat, and I'm one of them. I'm never going to be a fan of trying to buy championships (although I'm a Cubs fan and they arguably tired to do this). I miss the old NBA where all the superstars were on separate teams and all loved playing against each other trying to prove that they were the best. Watching the Dream Team documentary REALLY made me miss it.

All that being said, the new way of the NBA is what we have, and I'm not sure we will ever have an NBA like we did in the 80's and early 90's.

Ill be the first person to admit that what the Heat did last night may be one of the greatest playoff performances ever, and easily one of the best close-out performances ever.

That's sort of revisionist history. All of the superstars were not on separate teams.

What championship team did Micheal Jordan play on that didn't have at least one other Hall of Fame player on it?

Larry Bird?

How about Magic?

Isaiah Thomas?

that's 14 of the championship teams during the 20 year period you named. That was the golden age of basketball, and plenty of stars played on the same team.

 

[jbindm]

I honestly have never completely understood why everyone hates LeBron. IMO, the guy has a lot of unnecessary hate geared towards him. However, I completely understand why people don't like the Heat, and I'm one of them. I'm never going to be a fan of trying to buy championships (although I'm a Cubs fan and they arguably tired to do this). I miss the old NBA where all the superstars were on separate teams and all loved playing against each other trying to prove that they were the best. Watching the Dream Team documentary REALLY made me miss it.

All that being said, the new way of the NBA is what we have, and I'm not sure we will ever have an NBA like we did in the 80's and early 90's.

Ill be the first person to admit that what the Heat did last night may be one of the greatest playoff performances ever, and easily one of the best close-out performances ever.

It's old news, but I think a lot of the hate stems from how he left Cleveland. The Decison tv special was a disaster. That mistake was compounded by the celebration in Miami replete with smoke machines and fireworks to promise and celebrate multiple championships before he even played a game there. And then he made it even worse by complaining about being painted as a bad guy and saying if we want him to be the villain, then he'd wear the black hat. By the time the Finals rolled around last year, the backlash was at its peak and damn near everyone was rooting for him to fail. What we saw this year and especially in the playoffs was a more mature, humbled Lebron James. He made some really boneheaded PR decisions a couple years ago. It's time to let it go. He and his team put on an awesome show in the Finals.