Don't Do the Space Jam

As I was reading the fantastic piece David Halberstram wrote for ESPN on Allen Iverson (to which I was referred by Tas Melas of the Basketball Jones and Dan from the Disciples of Clyde) during the 2001 finals, something he said about identifying with Allen Iverson really resonated with me, but with another superstar of today:

But here is what we should remember, and it was something pointed out to me years ago by Roger Angell, the gifted New Yorker writer, when I asked him what a player on the Red Sox was really like. "They are what they do," he answered, wiser in the ways of being around big time athletes than I. That was it. They are what they do. Which strikes me as wise and as good a definition for measuring an athlete as we have.

His actions being the chief metric by which we should judge an athlete, what are we to make of the recent actions of LeBron James?  After losing to the Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals, he refused to shake hands with his opponents or speak to the media.  After being dunked on at his own camp by Jordan Crawford from Xavier, tape of the incident was confiscated, only for a second copy to leak.  He gleefully entertained questions about leaving Cleveland in free agency, at least until it was suggested doing so was a bad idea.  At that point he said he’d stop answering questions about it, as if he had never broached the subject on his own.  Now, in a meaningless game against the Chicago Bulls that was in doubt until deep into the second half, he’s doing a pregame dance routine on the bench.  During the game. 
  
I do find a lot of criticism of King James to be a bit harsh.  He is, after all, 24 years old (soon to be 25), and a certain youthful indiscretion is both expected and evident.  Here, though, lies something beyond youthful exuberance.  His pregame photo shoots are youthful exuberance.  Bounding around the court is youthful exuberance.  This, though, came off as some sort of celebration from a guy who only lost once at home last year with very much the same team.  Beating a listless Bulls team at home should not be cause for celebration, especially not one so obvious and showy. This was showing up the Bulls, a la Jarrett Jack, but at least Jack had the cajones to do it during play, not when he was off to the sideline.  


Say what you want about Iverson, but I don’t think he’d ever be caught dead dancing on the sideline during a game, nor would he allow it from teammates. A famous coaching axiom is “Never allow in victory what you’d scold in defeat,” and the same adage is adopted by the best leaders.  We’ve often said that Iverson and Kobe were too stoic in crunch time, but this focus is what allows them to demand the full focus from their teammates, and it wasn’t façade.  I get the sense from LeBron now that when he yells at a teammate and demands more, they won’t have that healthy fear.  They’ll inwardly wonder, “Weren’t you just cutting a rug with Candace Parker’s brother?” 


So LeBron is what he does, and right now he’s an individually dominant young player that dances on the sideline during meaningless games and acts like a child after big, unpleasant losses.  This is not some morality play view, but rather one of a pragmatist; how many clearly immature players have led their team to NBA titles?  One?  Two?  Zero?  I don’t know, but I know it hasn’t happened since I’ve been alive.  It’s pretty easy to blame LeBron’s failings on his teammates, but someone like, say, Iverson never did.  His intensity inspired teammates.  And while LeBron’s joking helps team chemistry now, what happens when it’s not time for fun and games and time for some sheer force of will?  Maybe LeBron needs some more AI in him.