Bleacher Report Tells LeBron He Better Enjoy His Only NBA Title

LeBron James got his first NBA Title. I would say "finally" in that sentence, but he is only 27 years old, so even though he has been in the NBA for going on a decade he is still young. It was a wait, but not too long of a wait. I we knew it would happen. After LeBron wins his first title people are going to start pointing out he won't win seven NBA Titles like he originally promises. I say "are going to start," but I mean "have already started." Most mainstream sports columnists aren't stupid enough to write a column making this argument quite yet. Skip Bayless doesn't count because he's a troll. He's the pimple on the ass of the sports world, so I don't even consider him to be part of the sports media anymore than I would consider Jerry Springer to be part of the mainstream media. Fortunately, we have Bleacher Report to remind us this will be LeBron's first and only NBA Title. Yeah, LeBron is still probably going to be an even bigger asshole now that he has that first title and the confidence that goes along with it. You don't have to like him, but I can see the Heat winning another title.

What's funny is this article on Bleacher Report was written BEFORE LeBron and the Heat won their NBA Title. It's like a peremptory strike before the inevitable Game 5 win over the Thunder occurred.

Those who spin mere NBA greatness into legends of mythical stature would like you to believe that this will be the first of many titles for LeBron James.
Says the guy who will compare Dirk's 102-degree in last year's NBA Finals to Jordan playing in "The Flu Game" in this very column. Wouldn't want to spin greatness into legends of mythical stature would we?

LeBron himself would like you to believe this will be the first of at least seven,

Yeah, that was a stupid comment and one of the many reasons some people think LeBron is an asshole of not the first...not the second...not the third...but the fourth degree. I know those who don't like LeBron point to that moment as his biggest moment of hubris and I can understand that. I joke about it (see above), but that "seven titles" comment happened at what essentially was a pep rally for the Heat fans after the team added Bosh, James, and Wade. The moment (and his huge ego) overcame common sense and any sort of caution.

A little perspective is required. It is not like LeBron has stated on multiple occasions he sees this team winning seven NBA titles. He said it once in a moment of hubris, while being overjoyed at joining his new teammates in Miami. It was a moment of pure ego and disregard for the difficult road that lie ahead, but to his credit he didn't say it again. In the video you see Wade laughing hysterically at LeBron's bold announcement and Pat Riley looking like he was going to vomit upon hearing the "seven titles" talk.

and apparently he really believes that.

I'm not sure he "believes" that, but he "believed" that. I don't know if he believes that anymore.

A power vacuum has haunted the ranks of the NBA elite since Michael Jordan called it quits—and then called it quits again.

There is a power vacuum among the NBA elite since Michael Jordan called it quits. That is unless you think one of the best shooting guards in NBA history (Kobe Bryant), the best or second-best power forward in NBA history (Duncan), or one of the best centers in NBA history (Shaq) aren't considered elite players. Apparently the author doesn't believe this and isn't aware these three players have won a combined 13 NBA Titles since Jordan last played for the Bulls (when he came back to the Wizards he wasn't the same player).

Personally, I think it is completely and utterly stupid to say there has been a power vacuum among the NBA elite since Jordan retired. There hasn't been another Michael Jordan, but there probably never will be either. This doesn't mean there haven't been elite players in the NBA since Jordan left.

Who will take his place?

No one will take his place. Other elite players will play and form their own collection of memories.

How will this league continue to produce moments you'll remember well into old age?

The same way they have been doing this since Michael Jordan retired, with the other elite players in the NBA providing them.

But, there's a sobering reality James' fans must face. So too must his growing chorus of suddenly open-minded bandwagon admirers.

LeBron's cramps are not a modern-day version of "The Flu Game."

LeBron's cramps aren't on par with Jordan's "Flu Game." This must be considered unshakeable proof LeBron will only win one NBA Title.

For one thing, the true heir apparent to Jordan's heroics is Dirk Nowitzki, who helped the Dallas Mavericks tie the 2011 NBA Finals against the Heat with 21 points, 11 rebounds and a 102-degree fever.

This is spinning greatness into legends of mythical stature, which is just what the author told LeBron's bandwagon admirers not to do.

For another, LeBron forfeited the right to stage his own injured moment in history when he and Dwyane Wade mocked Dirk's flu symptoms, as if to suggest his sickness were either faked or less serious than met the eye.

That was an asshole thing to do. LeBron claims he is more mature now. Of course, whether LeBron had leg cramps or mocked Dirk is completely irrelevant in terms of whether the Heat will win another title with Wade/Bosh/James. I guess that's beside the point of the article, even though the stated point of the article was why the Heat wouldn't win another title with Wade/Bosh/James.

My theory is that LeBron isn't necessarily more mature, he has just experienced failure (last year's NBA Finals) and much of the failure was blamed on him. He's never really failed and had to experience other people believing the failure was on him. Athletes learn as much from failure as they do from success. LeBron had everyone massaging his ego for much of his life until he was in the NBA. To my knowledge, he's never had someone tell him he isn't good enough or had a loss placed squarely on his shoulders. Even when he was drafted by the Cavs, he was drafted by his hometown team (and loved accordingly) and any failures by the Cavs team was explained by the lack of roster help they gave James. Sure, James got some criticism, but the supporting cast was blamed mostly and few suggested LeBron just wasn't good enough to win an NBA Title. So LeBron had experienced failure in terms of the team concept, but the failure was never exactly placed directly on him. He was a part of a team failure and never told he personally isn't good enough. Failure is what helps drive athletes. Brady was drafted in the 6th round, Jordan was cut from his high school team, and Kobe wanted to show Shaq he could win a title without him after Shaq won a title without Kobe.

Not every athlete requires failure to succeed. It depends on each athlete's personality and LeBron needed to hear criticism coming at him for failing last year in the NBA Finals to perhaps realize being LeBron James isn't enough to win an NBA Title. The focus wasn't on what his teammates didn't do for him and people weren't telling him how great he was anymore. The critics were saying that LeBRon didn't do enough to win the NBA Title. So the result is what happened in this year's playoffs. I think LeBron needed to lose to check his ego and realize he doesn't walk on water. Will his ego stay checked after he has won an NBA Title? We'll see.

You won't find Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook feigning leg cramps, though—no matter how embittered they become.

Of course not. Durant and Westbrook are angels sent directly from heaven.

They know there's a dynasty in their future, that at just 23 years old, this is the first of many opportunities to show this league how the West was won and bring a title back to Oklahoma City.

James has no such reassurance.

He has no reassurance other than he still plays on the Heat who have three of the Top 20 (30?) players in the league on the team and none of them are older than 30 years old. James is the best player in the NBA, which also helps him know he can compete for a title again next year.

His best opportunity is to beat these Thunder before they get any better, before Kobe was one last hurrah

Yes, before Kobe "was" one last hurrah. Whatever that means.

or before the Spurs figure out a way to win 30 in a row.

I like how the author believes the Heat are getting too old to win another title, but the much older Spurs could win 30 games in a row. Not to mention, the Spurs play in the Western Conference, not the Eastern Conference, and they can win 82 games in a row, but still have to beat the Heat in a seven game series to win the NBA Title. So I don't see even if the Spurs won 30 games in a row during the regular season what effect it would have on the Spurs.

And, his work won't become any easier as Dwyane Wade loses another step

As he loses "another" step.

and Chris Bosh loses interest in remaining a third wheel no one appreciates.

And we all know after winning an NBA Title as the third wheel no one appreciates (which isn't true), Bosh will be incredibly unhappy with his role as the third wheel. I would think positive reinforcement that his role on the Heat squad helps to win NBA Titles would make Bosh more committed to his role on the team.

How about this? Since Bosh doesn't want to be the third wheel, is only 28 years old, and Wade is losing a step...why doesn't Bosh become the second wheel and Wade can become the third wheel? There you go, problem solved. Wade already became the second banana when LeBron joined the team and if he is really losing another step (which I don't think he is) Bosh can take on a bigger role. You're welcome.

Whereas Jordan's six titles were aided by a younger Scottie Pippen extending his career, James will make due with a sidekick headed for decline with a psyche to match.

Will Wade decline enough from the ages of 31-33 to where the Heat can't win another title? I'm not so sure. The author appears incredibly sure and uses his own opinion as the proof required in lieu of having actual proof.

One title won't silence the detractors.

Maybe it shouldn't silence the detractors. But we don't have enough information right now to say LeBron will never win another title.

It will simply make them wonder what's gone wrong when next year isn't so kind, when the free-throw line isn't offered as a birthright and when the fragile chemistry holding this collection of mercenaries together descends into frustration and turmoil.

Why would they have to wonder what is wrong if you just answered the question about what will go wrong? You answered it for everyone you little genius.

The fragile chemistry had a much better chance of falling apart if the Heat had lost to the Thunder this year in the NBA Finals. At least that is what I think.

We've seen flashes of it unraveling already this year, a shocking statement given that this club now finds itself within one win of a championship.

The Celtics almost had it all fall apart this year because Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo aren't exactly friends. Throw in the trade rumors when they were below .500 and the Celtics could have fallen apart. The Thunder have tried to balance Westbrook and Durant on the offensive end. The Lakers have a ton of chemistry problems right now and the author seems to believe Kobe can step back up next year. How come the Lakers can bounce back to possibly win a title with their chemistry issues, but the Heat have no shot of repeating if they have chemistry issues next year? Every team has their issues to get through. What does it mean that it almost fell apart this year and still the Heat won the NBA Title?

If Dwyane Wade can lose his cool when things are going well, one shudders to imagine how he'll handle things as Miami fades into a history of disappointment.

You mean like last year when the Heat lost in the NBA Finals or when the Heat won 15 games and had the #2 overall pick in the draft?

Not to mention, as much as it pains me to say, the Heat fading into a history of disappointment is pure speculation at this point. The author is making assumptions and then basing his conclusions based on his assumptions. It isn't a fact the Heat will fade into disappointment.

Call it hating, denial, bitterness or good ol' fashioned sour grapes.

The rest of us will call it realism.

Except for the fact it isn't based on reality. Other than that, it is realism. You can't make assumptions based on speculation about a subject and then claim you are calling it "realism" when your speculation is based on fiction and not fact.

LeBron will get his ring, but he won't get seven of them—even if he does really believe that.

Or as the title of this column stated, LeBron won't ever get another ring. He only has 10 more years in the NBA. I hate it as much as the next person does, but he'll probably get another ring and he'll probably get another ring with the Heat.