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Yes, the title is a LeBron pun; this is a LeBron article on where I think he should go for his legacy.
If you don't want to read it, then screw you. But scroll to the bottom and I'll bold the team at the very end of the post. But still, screw you man
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Since his televised moments from St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School, LeBron James has been compared to Michael Jordan throughout his entire career, and was the poster-boy to be "the next Mike" for about 8-9 years. 1st overall drafted in his home state, carried the team to the Finals in 2007, and essentially was the only talent on the entire roster from 2003 through the 2010 season. LeBron was well liked across the league and among fans, he was The King, and was the face of the league (along side with Kobe). You forget how much people wanted to see a Kobe v LeBron Finals matchup (throwback to the Nike puppets)...
But the reason you forget about it is because LeBron's whole legacy changed on one night, and it's not necessarily the one you are thinking of. It really isn't the date where he told the world, on national television, that he was "taking his talents to South Beach", because outside of unappreciative Cavs fans, nobody was too upset with James going to Miami to play with Wade and Bosh.
It was when those three all met up in the official press reveal that started his undoing, with his "Not 1, not 2, not 3..." speech. That painted a goddamn bullseye on his back, and from there he instantly became the league's most hated villain (for four, maybe five years. don't really know if there was a villain in the league in 2016 tbh)
---
I'll get to my point here, because I'm rambling about shit we already know about. LeBron is all about legacy; that's why he went to Miami (to win titles) as well as back to Cleveland (for his public image redemption). But his legacy is quite tarnished for only winning 2 titles in Miami, and just one with the Cavs in his 8 seasons after The Decision. He's definitely behind MJ still, and LeBron's #1 goal isn't to just win titles, but to surpass Jordan as the GOAT of basketball. And there is one place for him to go that could potentially establish himself as the GOAT.
And that place is Portland.
Just kidding, its the Lakers, obviously. LeBron first off cannot be the GOAT if Laker fans continuously state that Kobe, Magic, and Kareem (I'm looking at you Mexi) are better than LeBron, and they will do that until LeBron wins titles for the Lakers. Another major criticism of LeBron has been that he's been hiding in the East and cake-walking into the Finals every year. Taking the Lakers PAST the Warriors' Hampton 5 death squad and taking the Lakers to the Finals would do immense things for his legacy and reputation. And as also know, LeBron fucking hates the Celtics, so a potential LA/BOS Finals rematch again would be great for viewership, as well as potentially pushing the Lakers above Boston in ring counts would help his reputation.
Another big aspect that LeBron needs to supplant MJ in is as the face of basketball, and the Los Angeles spotlight is the way to do it. Like, for 11 of his 15 seasons, James has been killing advertisement $$ while playing in Cleveland. Four years of Miami isn't bad, but Miami is not a basketball town and anybody who's been there can reiterate that. But Los Angeles is known for two things -- celebrity, and the Lakers. And LeBron combining those two aspects would re-polarize the city like it were 2008, and his LBJ brand would be exponentially more popular, tot he point where only maybe NYC could promote it better.
I don't see another way LeBron can surpass MJ without joining the Lakers. He's going to break all of Jordan's records anyways, but he'll need to get another 2-3 rings (pushing the Lakers over Boston in the title count would be big for his legacy) to pass Mike at the minimum. And maybe he won't be able to pass Jordan, who will eternally be the Greatest of All Time. But LeBron is a fighter, and he'll goddamn try everything he can to do so. Which is why his kid is reportedly already enrolled in LA private schools, why his wife reportedly signed up in an LA gym membership, why Vegas has them as the favorites to land James, why BNC already has a Lakers avi lined up, and ultimately why Lebron James will be signing with the Lakers this offseason.
So yeah, Lakers.
If you don't want to read it, then screw you. But scroll to the bottom and I'll bold the team at the very end of the post. But still, screw you man
---------------------
Since his televised moments from St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School, LeBron James has been compared to Michael Jordan throughout his entire career, and was the poster-boy to be "the next Mike" for about 8-9 years. 1st overall drafted in his home state, carried the team to the Finals in 2007, and essentially was the only talent on the entire roster from 2003 through the 2010 season. LeBron was well liked across the league and among fans, he was The King, and was the face of the league (along side with Kobe). You forget how much people wanted to see a Kobe v LeBron Finals matchup (throwback to the Nike puppets)...
But the reason you forget about it is because LeBron's whole legacy changed on one night, and it's not necessarily the one you are thinking of. It really isn't the date where he told the world, on national television, that he was "taking his talents to South Beach", because outside of unappreciative Cavs fans, nobody was too upset with James going to Miami to play with Wade and Bosh.
It was when those three all met up in the official press reveal that started his undoing, with his "Not 1, not 2, not 3..." speech. That painted a goddamn bullseye on his back, and from there he instantly became the league's most hated villain (for four, maybe five years. don't really know if there was a villain in the league in 2016 tbh)
---
I'll get to my point here, because I'm rambling about shit we already know about. LeBron is all about legacy; that's why he went to Miami (to win titles) as well as back to Cleveland (for his public image redemption). But his legacy is quite tarnished for only winning 2 titles in Miami, and just one with the Cavs in his 8 seasons after The Decision. He's definitely behind MJ still, and LeBron's #1 goal isn't to just win titles, but to surpass Jordan as the GOAT of basketball. And there is one place for him to go that could potentially establish himself as the GOAT.
And that place is Portland.
Just kidding, its the Lakers, obviously. LeBron first off cannot be the GOAT if Laker fans continuously state that Kobe, Magic, and Kareem (I'm looking at you Mexi) are better than LeBron, and they will do that until LeBron wins titles for the Lakers. Another major criticism of LeBron has been that he's been hiding in the East and cake-walking into the Finals every year. Taking the Lakers PAST the Warriors' Hampton 5 death squad and taking the Lakers to the Finals would do immense things for his legacy and reputation. And as also know, LeBron fucking hates the Celtics, so a potential LA/BOS Finals rematch again would be great for viewership, as well as potentially pushing the Lakers above Boston in ring counts would help his reputation.
Another big aspect that LeBron needs to supplant MJ in is as the face of basketball, and the Los Angeles spotlight is the way to do it. Like, for 11 of his 15 seasons, James has been killing advertisement $$ while playing in Cleveland. Four years of Miami isn't bad, but Miami is not a basketball town and anybody who's been there can reiterate that. But Los Angeles is known for two things -- celebrity, and the Lakers. And LeBron combining those two aspects would re-polarize the city like it were 2008, and his LBJ brand would be exponentially more popular, tot he point where only maybe NYC could promote it better.
I don't see another way LeBron can surpass MJ without joining the Lakers. He's going to break all of Jordan's records anyways, but he'll need to get another 2-3 rings (pushing the Lakers over Boston in the title count would be big for his legacy) to pass Mike at the minimum. And maybe he won't be able to pass Jordan, who will eternally be the Greatest of All Time. But LeBron is a fighter, and he'll goddamn try everything he can to do so. Which is why his kid is reportedly already enrolled in LA private schools, why his wife reportedly signed up in an LA gym membership, why Vegas has them as the favorites to land James, why BNC already has a Lakers avi lined up, and ultimately why Lebron James will be signing with the Lakers this offseason.
So yeah, Lakers.
