As we have chronicled many times around here, LeBron James seems reluctant to embrace his role as Clevelandwood LeBron Hogan of the South Beach nWo. He is already hated by irrational fans and loved by the smart fans, the Heat have the black and white uniforms and he has two guys to run with him, Outsiders style.
The thing is, because he is unwilling to accept his “heel” status, a lot of the things he does and things he says make him look like like a diva. The other day news came out that he needs to have his steak well done and cut up into little pieces for him. Then today, when asked about the dunk contest, he said the following, from CBS Sports Eye on Basketball
“It’s not me,” he said Friday. “I’m not a dunk contest type of guy. I’m an in-game dunker. I kind of improvise during the game.”
But what if there was a prize? LeBron was asked if someone tossed a $1 million winner-take-all bounty on it, if he’d take part.
“Then I’d reconsider,” he said “Wouldn’t you?”
Its an honest answer and probably true, and he is not saying he would only do it for a milli, but when you are worth more than $50 million and climbing, and you have stories like the steak deal, he looks like a guy just in it for the money while saying its all about the fans. If he is not going to play the bad guy, why not say something like “You know, if you raised the stakes and got charities involved I bet you could get big names in it, I know I would.”
LeBron needs better PR coaches.
But imagine for a moment if he came out and said, “yeah, so what if I have a guy cut my steak for me? Its what rich people do” and “You know what, pay me a milli and find me John Lucas III and the II while you’re at it.”
Of course, he is too image conscious and cares too much about what people say about him, but a wrestling fan can dream, right?