He’s not the best player in the league anymore but gets TV time and airtime in discussion that make it hard for the next generation of guys to break through. This is the most talented NBA group in my lifetime but everything is still LeBron, Steph, and KD even though Jokic, Ant, Giannis, Tatum, Luka, Wemby et al are far more exciting.
In addition, most of those players are better for the league. Lebron started the “era of player empowerment” (team hopping, forcing out of contracts, etc) and “super team” (see “team hopping”) that have hurt people’s interest in the league. He’s also been at the forefront of flopping, coach firing, and other trends that have hurt interest. The Bronny thing was the icing on the cake here and Rich Paul fixing the trade market and free agency is directly correlated to LeBron.
Magic, Bird, Jordan, Kobe all expanded interest in the league. Many of the current players could expand interest, particularly internationally (four of the best five players in the league are international). And many have more loyalty, humility, etc that can get local fanbases engaged again. Lebron is a millstone around the neck of the NBA. Moving on from him will be incredibly good for the sport.
Added unpopular opinion: the Lakers should move on from him in one year and get a younger, clutch player who doesn’t have a rep for destroying teams to play alongside Luka.
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Lmao
Yup. LeBron has been sinking the league for far too long.
I dream of a league without flopping
People love to hate-watch LeBron. I don’t see how he hurts interest in the league.
Villains are good business.
The young international stars are all super likable. We need the villain to keep it interesting.
Leflop cant even sit down until the game ends
To act like LeBron didn’t expand interest in the league is blasphemy. What stands out about him is that he left his sinking ship franchise because that was the only way he could chase Jordan.
Also who cares for loyalty when that same energy is not reciprocated from organizations. Them suits will trade you ina heartbeat. Players will want out just like Kobe did when the Lakers sucked after Shaq left
It’s crazy you forgot SGA, the best player on the best team. Maybe he’s not more popular because his name is too damn long to write.
Personally i also think the NBA would be better if i were in it making a few million. Id take the million over a few years as im not too greedy
Honestly, have your upvote, this is a take.
The day LeBron retires will be a very sad day for me at least. An absolute tour de force, we may never see another like him in our lifetime
The NBA will be back to post Jordan pre Kobe levels. Interest will wane
I’m only watching the NBA because of 40 year old LeBron.
Bonus: he’s obviously on steroids as well and has been for a long time
LeBron has literally never forced his way out of a contract. He has never forced his way off a team or demanded a trade, unlike many superstar players (including Kobe who you mention, publicly demanded a trade).
The NBA has always had super teams. And the league has always thrived when there’s super teams.
Free agency existed before LeBron.
Elite players moved teams before LeBron.
Flopping was happening long before LeBron. It’s like people forgot, or based on your post are too young to remember, someone like Ginobli flopping all over the place.
Basically everything you’ve said is absolute nonsense.
The reason LeBron gets so much attention, even from people who hate him like Skip, is because the audience eat up LeBron content. This is an entertainment business at the end of the day, and LeBron gets audiences.
LeBron is probably what Tyson was to boxing, and I think a lot of people will stop watching the sport once he retires. Boxing as a sport used to be huge in the past. Who wants to see a competition between boring 3-point shooters?
You might have point. I sometimes forget the NBA even exists. Right or wrong it feels to me the modern day NBA player could care less based on the current make up of the league.
The timing of this post is hilarious considering how well he played last night.
He’ll be missed, however I think it will make the ESPN, other sports networks, and sports journalists focus on the NBA as a whole rather just on Bron.