Professional sports stars, whether they like it or not, are role
models for younger generations of athletes.
Even Charles Barkley would admit as much. His point was simple:
Parents should be more responsible for raising their own kids.
But in the case of one LeBron James, a once-in-a-generation
specimen who has already exceeded most expectations for his age and
embraces the adulation of being the next Jordan by saying he wants
to become a
”
global icon,
”
it would do basketball’s biggest star some good to emulate
several young ladies who found themselves on the wrong side of the
ledger this past weekend.
Professional sports stars, whether they like it or not, are role models for younger generations of athletes.
Even Charles Barkley would admit as much. His point was simple: Parents should be more responsible for raising their own kids.
But in the case of one LeBron James, a once-in-a-generation specimen who has already exceeded most expectations for his age and embraces the adulation of being the next Jordan by saying he wants to become a “global icon,” it would do basketball’s biggest star some good to emulate several young ladies who found themselves on the wrong side of the ledger this past weekend.
Following a season-ending loss to Orlando in the NBA playoffs Saturday, James stormed off the court without as much as a handshake a hug or a fist-bump with any of the opposing players. He then skipped out on the post-game press conference so he wouldn’t have to answer questions from the media.
For someone who so clearly enjoys the thrill of winning, James couldn’t have handled losing much worse. Despite his pristine image – and to be honest, do we even really know what he’s like away from basketball? – James’ actions were not completely out of character. He has walked off the court following season-ending losses before without even a nod to the better team.
Standing on the infield at PAL Stadium in San Jose earlier that same day, I watched a group of heartbroken softball players from Gilroy not only walk in line and shake the hands of a team which in many respects was lucky to win a section title, but also I saw the Mustangs accept their second-place trophy as the Hollister players celebrated just more than 10 feet away.
No one ran off the field and no one acted like their feelings meant more than the unwritten rules of conduct, win or lose.
A night earlier, I received another example of how James was in the wrong.
Sarah Unadia, a junior high jumper from Gilroy, had just fallen short of her goals at the section track and field championships and she was clearly upset. I tried to sit down next to her and ask a couple questions, but she wasn’t ready. I asked her if she needed some time. She said yes and I walked away.
With other events occupying my attention, I might not have even remembered to try and interview her again had she not seeked me out. While I was standing next to a group of reporters, Unadia walked right up and said she was ready to talk about what had happened.
The pain was still evident in her eyes, but she didn’t sidestep any questions. She didn’t have to talk, she doesn’t get paid to play, but, I guess, in her mind it was the right thing to do. If she granted me interviews after she did well, I assume she thought she needed to do the same when things hit the fan.
James did neither of these things, and he might have given millions of kids around the world the idea that it’s okay to do the same.
What makes this so aggravating is there isn’t another athlete on the planet more enjoyable to watch than James. But how much do we really know about a person who has been destined for greatness since he was a tween while being packaged, handled and coddled by corporate sponsors. It’s hard to imagine he hasn’t always gotten his way.
A handshake with Orlando players would have shown respect. A press conference might have given us a glimpse into what James is really like. It might have even made him a bigger star by showing those who are reluctant to embrace him that there is a vulnerable, human side to LeBron. Who knows?
What I do know is that I learned plenty about the character of a group of young ladies who didn’t get what they wanted but didn’t let defeat define them.
