What Every NBA GM Wants For Christmas
	found on ESPN written by zico, edited by Humberto (Plastic) [ read unedited ] posted Tue 17 Dec 11:54am
		zico writes "For those of you who don't know, LeBron James is a senior at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School and virtually guaranteed to be the No. 1 pick in this year's NBA draft. He recently played in a nationally televised game with reviews ranging from positive to overwhelmingly positive. An autographed copy of Sports Illustrated with him on the cover has already sold for over $250 on EBay, and much more memoribilia is available. St. Vincent-St. Mary has a pay-per-view deal to show ten of it's games and is reportedly making $10,000 to $15,000 per away game in appearance fees. As for parental figures, his surrogate father is an ex-con who showers him with gifts (ex. Ford Explorer, Lincoln Navigator). "Absolutely, I gave him the car," says Eddie, now a concert promoter and a drug-and-alcohol prevention counselor. "When you got a kid that's a 3.0 student and dominating the country in basketball, you get him whatever the hell he wants." Oh, and his mother, well she doesn't seem like the most stable influence I could imagine. She'd attend games in a "LeBron's Mom" jersey, shouting, "Yeah, baby, we going to the bank," and rushing the court whenever an opponent low-bridged her son." Has it all gone to his head? As he says, "LeBron stays humble by just being LeBron". Considering his life has taken on this circus-like atmosphere I have only one question: Is there any chance of James living up to all this hype in the NBA? Also, in the interests of balanced reporting, Charlie Rosen has some reservations about King James' defense and jumpshot at the next level. [insert rant here about the decline of Western Civilization/we wouldn't be talking about this if he was a white concert pianist skipping college/LeBron is being expoited/blahblahblah]"

[ more plastic... ]    

show almost all: 73 commentsbest: 8 comments by oldest first (ignore threads) newest first highest scores first oldest first newest first (ignore threads)

1.  LeBron needs.   by jbou       at Tue 17 Dec 12:16pm score of 1.5 astute     LeBron is a good athlete, but as the scout says he has a ways to go before he is good enough to be considered a superstar. LeBron would benefit from a year or two in a developemental league, or in college(he has a 3.2 gpa), but he's going to be thrown to the wolves, and if he doesn't perform it could ruin him, and he'll be stuck with nothing, after his mom, and her lovely boyfriend have spent all his money. This is a 17 year old kid, so yes he is a victim, and unlike Kobe Bryant, doesn't have the benefit of a Dad who spent a few years in the NBA to guide him, LeBron needs to be adopted by Magic Johnson, and let Magic guide him through his first few years in the NBA, because I'm going to hate to read the Sports Illustrated story a few years from now about what LeBron could have been. Arguments have no chance against petrified training; they wear it as little as the waves wear a cliff.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

8.  Re: LeBron needs.   by JET24       at Tue 17 Dec 2:28pm score of 1   in reply to comment 1     LeBron needs to be adopted by Magic Johnson, and let Magic guide him through his first few years in the NBA So, he needs to have sex with as many groupies as he possibly can? Shouldn't Shawn Kemp be mentoring him then? Religion don't mean a thing; it's just another way to be right. - Spoon   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   11.  Re: LeBron needs.   by nackums       at Tue 17 Dec 2:40pm score of 1   in reply to comment 8     "Shouldn't Shawn Kemp be mentoring him then?" I was thinking something kinda similar. Maybe he could have Ruben Patterson mentor him on how to appropriately deal with the help, Kurt Thomas, Glenn Robinson and AI can advise him on how to effectively deal with spousal matters, and The Portland Trailblazers, as a team, could counsel him on how to effectively hide his weed.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   12.  Re: LeBron needs.   by zico       at Tue 17 Dec 2:42pm score of 1   in reply to comment 8     Unfortunately Shawn Kemp's program tends to include a lot of weight gain. I think LeBron will be best off figuring out how to have sex with groupies on his own. It can't be that complicated when you're insanely rich and famous. As long as A.C. Green doesn't take him under his wing. Every word is like a stain on silence and nothingness   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   18.  Re: Sex with groupies   by Jelly       at Tue 17 Dec 3:31pm score of 1.5 compelling   in reply to comment 8     or... Maybe Magic would be the perfect person to tell a young player about the dangers of scads of unprotected sex with groupies. Something about learning things the hard way (no pun intended - I swear). Sort of like how Chris Carter is one of the best anti-drug speakers that the NFL has - and Steve Largent isn't. Protect your Johnson. No matter how Magic you think it is.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   16.  Re: LeBron needs.   by empathogen       at Tue 17 Dec 3:27pm score of 1   in reply to comment 1     LeBron needs to be adopted by Magic Johnson, and let Magic guide him through his first few years in the NBA Only if Magic will emphasize the importance of using protection.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   40.  One Better   by Adept       at Tue 17 Dec 7:09pm score of 1   in reply to comment 1     He's actually kind of mentored by Michael Jordan. When he was 16, MJ took him through his courses, and they've been reasonably close ever since. Fact Checker.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

2.  Grumble Grumble   by keta       at Tue 17 Dec 12:31pm score of 1.5 astute     From the Charley Rosen piece: Here comes another narcissistic young man who has been conditioned to believe that celebrity equals money equals power. Well, he's conditioned that way because that's the reality. Is it right that we invest this celebrity, money, and power to athletes? Probably not. As a culture we are all far too obsessed with "celebrity". And I always have to chuckle when a sports reporter grumbles about the wealth, power and celebrity status of athletes. Bogs balls man, you sports writers help put them in this position. (OT, but I do recommend Rosen's book on Jake Molinas. A fascinating story about a tremendous athlete who maintained a high wire act for longer than anyone expected.) own your words...   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

4.  Re: Grumble Grumble   by dewdrops       at Tue 17 Dec 1:08pm score of 1   in reply to comment 2     Well, he's conditioned that way because that's the reality. So you're saying that Kato Kalen is rich and powerful ? There are plenty of celebrities and promising athletes who had their 15 minutes and are never heard from again. Remember Brian Bosworth ? He was a huge celebrity and was going to revolutionize the NFL. After three lackluster seasons, he was out of football.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

3.  set for life either way   by alaffin       at Tue 17 Dec 1:07pm score of 2 compelling     OK, so here's the thing. He's going number 1 next year. That means a three year contract in the NBA with a team option for a fourth which will pay him enough money to last quite a while (wage scale in 1999 was about 10 mil over three years). This on top of the shoe contract he'll be signing any day now which should run about 20 million or so. That's 30 million assuming that he's a complete and utter bust and, having seen him play, I really can't imagine that being the case. Now, is he ready for the NBA? Probably not but then the draft doesn't tend to include a lot of players at the high end who are anymore. I mean except for those foreign players. Should he go to college? ABSOLUTELY NOT. First off he can't. He's already beyond tainted as far as the NCAA goes. But even if that weren't the case he'd be risking more money than most people will ever see. What if he blows out his knee? Now, I agree that he might not be surrounded by the best of people but one of those people is his mom and, well, if she doesn't have his best interests at heart then that's between the two of them. He'll be 18 before he'll be rich and he can hire lawyers to make sure he stays that way. Overall this kid has obscene skills. I've seen him play (though I had to turn the damn sound down because Dick Vitale is an idiot) and, against a superior overall team in Oak Hill, simply dominate. Yeah, they were kids but he was vastly beyond any of them. He's probably not KG, but he's probably not Kwame Brown either and he's definitely going to be a player in the NBA for a while. satire   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

52.  Re: set for life either way   by All Seeing Eye       at Tue 17 Dec 11:08pm score of 1   in reply to comment 3     Dick Vitale is an idiot. I wish I had mod points to give you for that one statement alone. Friendly neighbourhood All Seeing Eye   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   63.  Re: set for life either way   by callmejay       at Wed 18 Dec 9:22am score of 1   in reply to comment 52     He can be annoying, sure, but he has an awesome love for the game which is infectious. March Madness wouldn't be March Madness without him. The best lack all conviction, while the worst/Are full of passionate intensity. -- Yeats, "The Second Coming"   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   71.  Re: set for life either way   by Techbomb       at Wed 18 Dec 6:23pm score of 1   in reply to comment 3     He's probably not KG You're right, LeBron is not KG. Lebron is 6'8" at only 17 years old; he may very well be taller than Garnett in a few years. In addition, LeBron already has more meat on his bones than KG. Plus, he's going to be a better scorer and already has superior passing ability (he plays PG, after all). As a T-Wolves fan, I find KG somewhat of a disappointment. Garnett lacks the post moves, and is way too skinny to be a major factor in the paint; this pushes his offensive game into the perimeter (which leads him to shoot way too many jump shots for a 7 footer). Once in the perimeter, though, he lacks the shooting prowess (as compared to someone like Paul Pierce, for example) and the innate scoring mentality and driving ability (like Kobe or TMac) to make him a big time offensive threat (currently, he averages only 21 ppg), which limits his clutch potential (which, in today's game, distinguishes the NBA elite from the merely good or great). LeBron won't be KG, and that is a good thing.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

5.  Good for LeBron   by Bennington       at Tue 17 Dec 1:35pm score of 1     I've never understood why the top high school players go to college -- if they get injured in college there goes dozens of megabucks down the drain. Why risk it? Also, since many of them end up leaving half way through their education it seems sort of mean to people who just want to go to college to learn. I knew several kids in high school who's only dream in life was to go to Stanford U. None of them got in, but Stanford did take Tiger Woods, who left without completeing a degree. "The plastic virtues: purity, unity, and truth, keep nature in subjection." -- Apollinaire   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

7.  Re: Good for LeBron   by PerryStroika       at Tue 17 Dec 2:26pm score of 1   in reply to comment 5     "I've never understood why the top high school players go to college -- if they get injured in college there goes dozens of megabucks down the drain." YOu're absolutely right. High school players with a big enough profile to get into the first round should just go, no questions asked. That guaranteed contract is worth a lot. You can go to college a hundred times over with the money you'll earn. If you geniunely want to do it, why not put it off? But it does make sense to go to college if you're not assured of being in the first round though. Then the college game can be used to get you some publicity to get into the first round eventually. As soon as you're reasonable sure that will happen (at 29 guys every year, the odds are not good) you should leave school. Otherwise, you should either prepare to fight like a dog for a contract either as a second rounder or a free agent, maybe taking long stints in the NBDL or Italian leagues while you're at it, or finish your degree and get a real job. Mouthpiece   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   64.  Re: Good for LeBron   by callmejay       at Wed 18 Dec 9:28am score of 1   in reply to comment 5     It's not football -- there are almost never career-ending injuries in basketball, and consequently, virtually everyone is better after college than before. Not to say that there aren't other arguments to skip college. The best lack all conviction, while the worst/Are full of passionate intensity. -- Yeats, "The Second Coming"   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   65.  Re: Good for LeBron   by alaffin       at Wed 18 Dec 9:39am score of 1   in reply to comment 64     Not to say that there aren't other arguments to skip college. For example, let's say he goes to college and sucks all over himself. Let's say it's all hype and he can't compete against devison I. I seriously doubt that would happen here but if it did then he's cost himself millions. On top of that why should he forgo getting paid for however long he'd be in college? Take, for example, Jermaine O'Neal. He hardly played in Portland because he was learning the game behind a solid center. He's a hell of a player now in Indiana. He got paid to learn the game. Should he instead have gone to college and learned how to play against lower quality opponents and given up the first four years of his earning power? Atheletes have a limited window of opportunity and four years is a pretty damn significant portion of that window. It seems pretty silly for them not to take advantage of the opportunity that their talent affords them and make as much money as they can given that they're likely to be retired by the time they're 35 or so. Bottom line if someone is willing to pay this kid he should take the money. If he wants to go to college later then he'll be able to pay for it himself no problem. satire   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   68.  Re: Good for LeBron   by stankow       at Wed 18 Dec 1:40pm score of 1   in reply to comment 65     If he wants to go to college later then he'll be able to pay for it himself no problem. "Hello, Harvard? This is LeBron James. LeBron likes your college. How much will Harvard cost?" "That depends on the program you wish to attend, Mr. James." "You misunderstand LeBron. How much will Harvard cost?"   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   69.  Re: Good for LeBron   by chiaboy       at Wed 18 Dec 2:01pm score of 1   in reply to comment 65     All things being equal I think athletes (like most everything in life) do best when constantly challenged. Getting paid to learn against NBA'rs actually very well make him a better player than playing against NCAA'rs for four years. I think generally in sports when that isn't a good idea is when it gets in a kids head and he starts doubting his own abilities (seems to afflict picthers and QB's the most) But this kid has been hooping against NBA'rs for some time now, and I don't think he has a confidence problem. Go learn from the masters. Can a puma challenge a lion for king of the jungle?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

6.  Already the hype machine starts.   by PerryStroika       at Tue 17 Dec 2:20pm score of 2 compelling     This kid is in for a tough, tough fall. As soon as he's picked, they're going to be a few people coming out going "YOu know, maybe it was a mistake. He's not THAT good." And then when he starts playing in the NBA and his numbers are super right away, they'll go "I was right. He's not as advertised." And then he'll have a string of good games and they'll go, "WAIT! I was wrong. He is the next coming of Michael!" This will go on and on until they find some other phenom to talk about. Hey, remember Vince Carter? Remember how he was going to be the next Michael? The sports media is often even stupider than the regular media. It's like some self-centered febrile two year old on a constant sugar high who can't stopd chattering away. Everything is always "the most exciting thing" blah blah blah. I'm not saying Lebron is no good. Clearly he's extremely talented, but the way the system works is FUCKED UP. Mouthpiece   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

9.  Re: Already the hype machine starts.   by elforman       at Tue 17 Dec 2:28pm score of 1   in reply to comment 6     The system is screwed up only because the NBA owners are willing to take chances on these unproven kids. There will be the occasional success story, such as Kobe Bryant, who was moderately successful in the NBA straight out of high school and got better with time. As long as the owners are willing to give that kind of money to high school kids who may fizzle out completely, you're not going to find many kids who are going to pass up that kind of offer. But how's this for an idea? For any player entering the NBA with two or fewer years of college under his belt, the league should take $100,000 of the player's salary and put it in a trust account. The money can only be released to the player after completing four full years in the NBA. If the player doesn't last four years, the league will only release the money to an accredited university so the washed-up player can still get an education. No school means no money.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   24.  Re: Already the hype machine starts.   by zacshepherd       at Tue 17 Dec 4:12pm score of 1   in reply to comment 9     This is a great idea. The main problem that I see with it is that it doesn't deal with the bigger problem - kids who declare for the draft, and then don't get picked at all. Lenny Cooke was a high school phenom in the NYC area, but never got it together enough to make a serious run at college eligibility, probably because somebody was telling him he would make it in the draft, and now he is falling out of the D league. Should the NBA be responsible for his college education? Or should whoever it was that got him to go straight to the draft? Or does he just get forgotten?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   37.  Aren't they technically adults when they...   by MAYORBOB       at Tue 17 Dec 5:23pm score of 1.5 astute   in reply to comment 9     ...sign with the NBA? Don't they have the right to sign their own contract and manage (or have somebody else manage) their money for them? It never ceases to amaze me that people constantly want to take a paternalistic interest in people who came from nothing, hit the lottery, and manage to piss their good fortune away. If the kid is good and he makes a decent career out of the NBA and ends up with a fortune at the end of that career, then I say, "good for him, he done good". If, on the other hand, he either burns out because he should have latched onto a college to refine his skills, or if he ends up with a career but he manages to piss it away on Bentleys and Rolexes and Bling Freaking Bling, then I say, "too bad, he screwed up." But why does he become somebody else's concern? Why do we treat people who are no longer children as a bunch of kids that we have to protect against society or themselves? Tending to final details.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   29.  Re: Already the hype machine starts.   by elforman       at Tue 17 Dec 4:36pm score of 1   in reply to comment 24     I can't say I know enough about how the draft works, but am I correct in inferring that if a kid declares himself eligible for the draft, he's no longer eligible to play at the college level? Does it have something to do with hiring an agent perhaps? If that is the case, is there any way to restore a kid's college eligibility, even if he pays his own way at a community college and plays for their team in hopes of getting noticed?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   30.  Re: Already the hype machine starts.   by Jelly       at Tue 17 Dec 4:44pm score of 1   in reply to comment 24     Why should the NBA be responsible for Lenny Cooke - why not the NCAA? The NCAA has a billion dollar TV contract, but the talent is supposed to be the one group of people that's not making a dime on the deal. Maybe class attendance and graduation rates would be a lot higher if the Lenny Cookes of the world were allowed to finish out the remaining year or two of their college eligibility AFTER failing out of the NBA. The NCAA could count any fraction of a year in the NBA as a year (or even two) of playing college ball. So if a player left school after his freshman year, and then got cut after training camp he would still have two more years to play college, improve his game, and maybe even attend a class or two.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   49.  Re: Aren't they technically adults when they...   by chiaboy       at Tue 17 Dec 9:54pm score of 1   in reply to comment 37     I really hate to say this (oh, thank you for raising an interesting question btw) but I think a large part of the answer is the patronizing paternalism in the way that a lot of America deals with black people. Yeah, when people turn 18 (white, black, brown, whatever) some of us make great choices, average choices, horrible choices, tragic choices, lucky choices, and on and on. That is part of the responsibility of adulthood (of life frankly). I wish the kid the best, I honestly think he has mad skills and will do well. Can a puma challenge a lion for king of the jungle?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   62.  Re: Aren't they technically adults when they...   by elforman       at Wed 18 Dec 9:04am score of 1   in reply to comment 37     Your Honor, in most situations I would agree with you 100%. But I think in this case the fault lies squarely on the shoulders on the NBA owners who, by making a pattern out of signing kids right out of high school, have led practically every star of his high school team to think he too can skip college and go straight to the pros. The owners have created unrealistic expectations in these kids, making many of them believe that a college education is meaningless. How many kids, given the chance to go straight to the pros, wouldn't do just that. I'm just suggesting a little safety net administered by the team or the league. Of course these kids are technically adults and should in theory be able to handle their finances in the face of such a sudden windfall, but sometimes a little hand-holding is necessary.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   23.  Speaking of Vince Carter....   by Erik Riker-Coleman       at Tue 17 Dec 4:01pm score of 1   in reply to comment 6     ...isn't he a millionaire or something? stand up, keep fighting.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   27.  Re: Speaking of Vince Carter....   by diogenes00       at Tue 17 Dec 4:33pm score of 1.5 informative   in reply to comment 23     Plus, he got his degree, remember? Leonard Zelig: I've never flown before, and it shows what you can do if you're a total psychotic.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   33.  Re: Speaking of Vince Carter....   by PerryStroika       at Tue 17 Dec 4:57pm score of 1   in reply to comment 23     Yes he is. The point of my post wasn't to say "poor, poor Vince Carter". It was to point out the absurdity of how the media machine is always trying to crown a new king even before he's accomplished all that much. Mouthpiece   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   48.  Re: Speaking of Vince Carter....   by Erik Riker-Coleman       at Tue 17 Dec 9:50pm score of 1   in reply to comment 33     Yeah, my point was that I don't feel too sorry for him, nor will I feel that bad for young Mr. James if he winds up flaming out. stand up, keep fighting.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

15.  I want to slap his mom a good 'un!   by blueflower       at Tue 17 Dec 2:53pm score of 2 brilliant     What's this "we going to the bank" shit? He's the one doing the work, lady. It's sure as hell not you! People who try to make their fortune through their children bug me. People who expect such fortune as their due bug me even more.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

42.  Re: I want to slap his mom a good 'un!   by Anonymous Idiot       at Tue 17 Dec 7:58pm score of 0.5 funny   in reply to comment 15     Still, you have to admit, regardless of who is doing the work, we is definitely going to the bank.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

17.  Humble?!?   by Anonymouse Savant       at Tue 17 Dec 3:27pm score of 2 funny     Anonymouse Savant thinks that when Lebron says: "LeBron stays humble by just being LeBron" he sounds decidedly unhumble. Oh, that was the point? Anonymouse Savant thinks Zico did a good write-up. Starting right now, Anonymouse Savant will refer to Anonymouse Savant in the third person in order to show Anonymouse Savant's humbleness (or is that humility?). Little girls, like butterflies, need no excuses. (R. Heinlein)   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

19.  Re: Humble?!?   by alaffin       at Tue 17 Dec 3:32pm score of 2.5 scholarly   in reply to comment 17     (or is that humility?) humbicility satire   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   20.  Re: Humble?!?   by elforman       at Tue 17 Dec 3:33pm score of 1.5 clever   in reply to comment 17     Oh come on. any idiot can refer to himself in the third person. If you really want to impress us, refer to yourself in the second person.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   25.  Re: Humble?!?   by Anonymouse Savant       at Tue 17 Dec 4:30pm score of 2 clever   in reply to comment 20     Hey you, Anonymouse Savant, stop refering to Anonymouse Savant in the third person and show us Anonymouse Savant can do it in the second person. (Ahhh, so much more humblicious. Thanks, elforman.) Little girls, like butterflies, need no excuses. (R. Heinlein)   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   35.  Re: Humble?!?   by elforman       at Tue 17 Dec 5:04pm score of 1   in reply to comment 25     We are not amused.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   39.  Re: Humble?!?   by Tessera       at Tue 17 Dec 6:21pm score of 1   in reply to comment 35     Neither are they.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

21.  I say good for him   by ksu93       at Tue 17 Dec 3:44pm score of 1.5 astute     He has a God-given talent that he appears to be making full use of so far. The fact that his mother has dollar signs in her eyes isn't surprising. This is what happens when people at the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum suddenly get lots of money, whether that money comes from pro basketball or owning a trash service. It's a shame that she's being so, well, shameless about it though. It's always easier to feel happy for folks like this when they handle their good fortune with grace. Don't blame the kid because his mom's so greedy and tactless though. At least give him the chance to prove himself. If he ends up being a total jackass, then by all means let him have it. But for now cut the guy some slack. "War is God's way of teaching Americans geography." -Ambrose Bierce   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

22.  Who's X-Ploiting Who?   by CharlesWallace       at Tue 17 Dec 3:55pm score of 1     I don't believe for a second that James is being exploited by anyone. Sure, ESPN2 broadcast the game and made money from ad sales (you gotta hope the ratings were higher than they would have been for timbersports) and his high school is making money off the pay per view from his team's other games, but LeBron is the one who will be signing the contracts for guaranteed millions as soon as he turns 18. He could sign the contract and retire the next day, and he'd still get to keep the "signing bonus". Frankly, I hope he does, and maybe the NBA GMs will stop looking for high school kids to save their team. (Bitter Chicago Bulls rant deleted) Notice how you never hear anything about the 17 year old flamethrowers who sign minor league baseball contracts and are burned out in three years, with "only" a couple hundred thousand dollars to show for it. If you ask me, LeBron will be fine by taking care of LeBron. Of course, if his parents are anywhere as Culkin-esque as they sound, he's got other problems, but that's not the NBA's problem. I won't say anything because no one ever listens to me anyway! I might as well be a Leonard Cohen record!   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

26.  Faith, justified or not.   by Erik Riker-Coleman       at Tue 17 Dec 4:33pm score of 1.5 informative     One could be forgiven for wondering if James's hometown team might not be sounding the klaxon and crash-diving a la the 1983 Rockets, whose impressive display of studied ineptitude [and accompanying Hakeem Olajuwon payoff] led directly to the institution of the NBA draft lottery. Of course that lottery, even its kinder current iteration, ought to make such a plan considerably less attractive than it might have been in 1983-84--but it'd be understandable, given the Cavs' past exploits in the draft. stand up, keep fighting.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

28.  Is LeBron James for real?   by Iluminati       at Tue 17 Dec 4:35pm score of 1     The short answer is yes. Right now, he could start in the NBA and average double figures in scoring. I'm not saying he's an all-star right now...just a decent player. The long answer is that he needs some polish, but he has that rare once-in-a-generation talent. Personally, he could use a year or two in D-League or over in Europe tweaking his game. He could fix his feet with his jumpshot, and he could learn to telegraph his pass a bit less. Also, I think the D will improve once he meets some players at his talent level. That being said, imagine an athletic Magic Johnson, and you can see what LeBron James can do. (FYI: As good as a player Magic Johnson was, he wasn't the greatest athlete. He was so smart, on the court at least, that his lack of athletic ability didn't make much of a difference.) When I'm not watching Fox News, I'm listening to my main man Marley Marl on Power 105.1!!!   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

31.  Re: Is LeBron James for real?   by tlon_uqbar       at Tue 17 Dec 4:52pm score of 1   in reply to comment 28     I've never seen LeBron play, but I'm always skeptical about translating performance against 16-18 year old kids to performance against NBA talent. Getting playing time in the NBA is more about defense than anything else and defense is what most high school stud players seriously lack. There's a big difference between being able to stand around and count on your height, size and quickness advantages over Central High's 6'4", 200 lb stiff of a center and trying to deal with (insert any NBA starting forward here) when he's posting you up on the block or running you through screens set by one of the dozens of 6'9" 260 lb beasts currently in the NBA. I'm not saying I doubt the guy's skills, but the criticisms of James seem to be his defense (see above) and a less than ideal outside shot. Granted, that's to be expected from a guy who doesn't have to hit 18 foot jumpers when he can just take it to the rack, but that's what it takes to be legit in the NBA. The upside is that both defense and respectable range on your jumpshot can be taught assuming you already bring the athleticism and court awareness LeBron allegedly already has to the table. It will take some time, however, and he will find himself on the receiving end of some nasty stuffs the first couple of times he tries to bring that weak ass high school shit into the lane against NBA defenders... I look for the guy to start next year, not so much because he deserves it, but because the thousands of new season ticket holders and advertisers in Cleveland, Chicago or wherever will demand it. I wish the kid the best of luck, but after seeing the NBA/media hype a new guy every year as the "next Michael", I won't be holding my breath with this guy either. -- gh   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

32.  No minor leagues   by diogenes00       at Tue 17 Dec 4:54pm score of 1     The biggest difference between basketball & baseball--at least as far as this case is concerned--is that there are no minor leagues in basketball. NCAA ball has been acting as a de facto minor league for years, but athletes (and their hangers-on) are realizing one big difference between being a baseball player in the minors and being a basketball player in the minors is that you get paid. In the pre-KG days, it was very rare for High School players to come out, but now it's a given that the #1 HS player will make the leap. As a number of people have mentioned, it doesn't make financial sense for a top player to play in college, risking an injury. Without developmental or minor leagues, they'll continue to jump, either immediately or after one year of college. Leonard Zelig: I've never flown before, and it shows what you can do if you're a total psychotic.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

34.  Re: No minor leagues   by elforman       at Tue 17 Dec 5:00pm score of 1.5 funny   in reply to comment 32     The big difference between playing in college and palying in the minor leagues is that in college players get an education to fall back on in case their professional sports careers don't pan out. Sorry, just kidding. I wanted to see if I could write that tripe and keep a straight face.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

36.  He's going, but how'll he do?   by Tyler Mack       at Tue 17 Dec 5:12pm score of 1     Okay, so LeBron James may be the first pick in the NBA Draft. So he might be an amazing basketball player, who, at his young age already possesses a gift for the game. So what? By the time James was done with the autographs, the NBA folks were long gone. They had seen enough of James to validate the St. Vincent-St. Mary senior point forward as the top selection in the 2003 NBA draft. Sure, the 31 points, 13 rebounds and six assists in 32 minutes in the Irish's 65-45 upset over top-rated Oak Hill Academy of Virginia helps his case. But it wasn't necessary to seal his draft fate. He's going to be drafted by New York, or Cleveland, or Denver, or Memphis, or whoever is the most fortunate (or misfortunate?) to have the first pick. Whether or not he's going to make it in the the NBA, he will make it into the NBA. Semper Vigilans   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

38.  I think...   by MrFadedGlory       at Tue 17 Dec 5:37pm score of 1.5 astute     ...That the NBA is getting better at dealing with Kids like this. I haven't seen him play (the worst thing about living in Aus is poor NBA coverage. They do it to try and promote an audience for the local leagues), but judging from the hype, he must be pretty good. When players have come straight out of High School in the past, I think that they have just been tossed to the wolves as a previous poster has noted. I think now there is a much better mentoring system in place to prevent the excesses if the NBA taking too much of a toll. I know Kwame Brown is not a direct comparison, but I like what the Wizard's did with him. I think that the idea is to take these kids OUT of the limelight straight away. Kwame didn't play a lot of ball in his rookie year and I think that this was a good thing. He's looking good this year and I think that it's precisely because he was mentored away from the game. I think it's also because he has a strong family around him as well. Still, it all comes back to the family situation. These kids have to be uncharacteristically strong to not succumb to the pressures of the people who are supposed to love them the most. LeBon's nearest and dearest will probably live up to the cliché and become his biggest liability in the future. ::Faded aka, Michael (Plastic)   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

43.  Re: I think...   by JeffB       at Tue 17 Dec 8:18pm score of 1   in reply to comment 38     the worst thing about living in Aus is poor NBA coverage. They do it to try and promote an audience for the local leagues A gazillion miles OT I know, but I just wanted to voice a loud YES. And that poor coverage of NBA has harmed the local game's popularity, not enhanced it.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   44.  Indeed...   by MrFadedGlory       at Tue 17 Dec 8:42pm score of 1   in reply to comment 43     Who want's to go out and practice playing like Cal Bruten or Shane Heal when if you watched Iverson or Jordan as a kid, you would go out an try to play like them? I remember when the games used to be on the ABC during the late 80's. I'd stay up just to watch it and talk about the games with my friends the next day at school. Now, it's tough enough finding a game to watch. I am never certain that the game I am watching on ESPN is last night's or last month's seeing as how they don't seem to have any problem in showing the games out of order. Bastards!! Just my opinion. aka, Michael (Plastic)   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   74.  Re: Indeed...   by JeffB       at Thu 19 Dec 3:08am score of 1   in reply to comment 44     Odd isn't it? When there was plenty of free to air TV coverage of NBA, local basketball was bubbling along just fine. The Perth Wildcats have gone from filling a 4,500 seat stadium every home game (early 90's) to being housed at a 1,500 seat stadium. And our mate Cal has had to gather financial forces this week to save an ailing Canberra Cannons. Bastards Indeed!   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   67.  Re: I think...   by useless       at Wed 18 Dec 10:15am score of 1   in reply to comment 38     Kwame didn't play a lot of ball in his rookie year and I think that this was a good thing. He's looking good this year and I think that it's precisely because he was mentored away from the game. I think it's also because he has a strong family around him as well. Actually, they didn't do much mentoring. There was an article in the Washington Post (sorry, couldn't find a link) about Kwame's first season where he ate Popeye's chicken for every meal and kept his suits in a pile on the floor because he didn't know how to take stuff to the cleaners. The kid (literally) did not get much mentoring and felt alone and out of place. The only thing Kwame did was cost Amare Stoudamire a couple million of by lowering the value of high school kids. The Suns should send MJ and the Wiz a thank you card for the debacle that was Kwame's first season.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   73.  Re: I think...   by Erik Riker-Coleman       at Wed 18 Dec 10:09pm score of 1   in reply to comment 67     Yeah, that Washington Post article, "Growing Pains: Kwame Brown's Unsentimental Education," was dynamite, and pretty depressing. stand up, keep fighting.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   78.  Re: I think...   by logbass       at Thu 19 Dec 1:24pm score of 1   in reply to comment 73     I am glad to see Kwame is getting his act together but it seems to me he was lucky to go the NBA. What other job would have held his hand in this manner? Here you have a 19 year old man who can't feed or dress himself? He has never been to a grocery store? He doesn't know clothes get dirty and must be cleaned? I understand he may not know much about suits but to paraphrase Samuel Jackson, you are aware there are cleaners and people take their clothes to be cleaned there. If he had put his suits in the washer you would have an example of not navigating his new world well. To not even attempt to clean your clothes is just plain lazy. Let's not infantilize the guy. Having trouble dealing with new found fame and fortune is perfectly understandable. But the guy would have needed to feed and clothe himself if he was working at a McDonalds. He just would not have all the money and people helping him. There are plenty of 19 year olds out there with a job, wife and kids. We should not screw over all of those responsible adults by acting like a 19 year old can not be responsible. I blame his mom, and of course his dad, for not at least marginally preparing him for the world of adulthood, with or without the NBA. I know his mom was working hard but she could have picked a couple of those trips to the grocery store and told him he was coming. She could have said that she worked too damn hard to cater to a bunch of people by doing their laundry all the time and taught him how to iron. Blaming the NBA for his lackadaisacal upbringing is just ridiculous. Who's got the kibble? - Bad Lieutenant: POCNO   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

41.  to digress to a subplot...   by Pipe Cleaner Arms       at Tue 17 Dec 7:51pm score of 2.5 astute     while the outrage at the LeBron's of the sports world is thankfully diminished nowadays, it's still there. But it's not JUST racism (yes, why does nobody complain about the 17-year old Tennis Player turning pro? Rasheed Wallace and Damon Stoudamire get pulled over by cops with a little weed, and it's a national story, but would anybody remotely care if it was Ashton Kutcher?) For some who espouse outrage, yeah, it's a combination of envy and a kind of paternalistic "them poor inner city black kids aren't sophisticated enough to handle money/fame/drugs/power/Escalades". But for others, it's a genuine concern - misdirected but valid in my opinion - about the damage that the unrealistic expectations of making it in professional sports has on the inner city. This is a legitimate concern, for every LeBron and Kobe who score deserved fame and bling-bling, there are thousands of NCAA dropouts who failed to realize they probably should have been spending more time studying than being a backup point guard for the UNLV Runnin' Rebels. And nobody - nobody - in the NBA/NIKE/NCAA/AAU Basketball megalopolis gives a FUCK about this. That being said - more power to LeBron. Whether he's the next Jordan? Talent is only part of the equation. On talent alone, Chris Webber should probably be the best player in the NBA, and few people who know basketball would ever give him the ball in the clutch.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

66.  Re: to digress to a subplot...   by OSULugan       at Wed 18 Dec 9:46am score of 1   in reply to comment 41     On talent alone, Chris Webber should probably be the best player in the NBA, and few people who know basketball would ever give him the ball in the clutch. Exactly, they'd be too worried about drawing a Technical Foul. And God says, "No, that's not right." Yeah. Well. Whatever. You can't teach God anything.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

45.  LeBron   by mmandell       at Tue 17 Dec 9:13pm score of 1     I have a different take than the previous commenters. ( I am not worried about LeBron-if he stays healthy until he is signed, with proper money management his life will be set.) What I am concerned about is his high school. For the life of me, I cannot fathom why a local Catholic HS in Akron, OH continually recruits minority students from all over the country and plays a national schedule in basketball. I may be wrong, but is it not the job of the Catholic High School to provide a superior religious and secular education to their students? How recruiting basketball players from around the country, regardless of religion or scholarship, contributes to these worthy goals is beyond me!   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

50.  Re: LeBron   by Erik Riker-Coleman       at Tue 17 Dec 10:14pm score of 1   in reply to comment 45     "Continually recruits minority students from all over the country"? Do they do this? James, at least, was born in the Rubber Capital... who are you referring to? In any event, the patterns of Catholic high schools a) recruiting athletes and b) enjoying a degree of popularity among non-co-religionists in urban areas where public schools are perceived to be less than ideal, or in cases where children are thought to be ripe for stern Catholic discipline is well-established--so while they may indeed be pernicious (and the second doesn't seem very much so to me), it's not as if SVSM is much of a novelty. stand up, keep fighting.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   53.  Re: LeBron   by chiaboy       at Tue 17 Dec 11:33pm score of 1   in reply to comment 45     How recruiting basketball players from around the country, regardless of religion or scholarship, contributes to these worthy goals is beyond me! You may want to bring that point up with the next Notre Dame alum you meet. Can a puma challenge a lion for king of the jungle?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   56.  Re: LeBron   by mmandell       at Wed 18 Dec 6:36am score of 1   in reply to comment 53     Good idea, except Notre Dame is a NATIONAL university and SVSM is a LOCAL high school. Big difference   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   59.  Re: LeBron   by chiaboy       at Wed 18 Dec 8:01am score of 1   in reply to comment 56     Right, the point I was responding to was how the recruitment of non-Catholic student/athletes may or may not contribute to superior religious and secular education to their students. Some schools take different paths, some focus on sports in order to fund their other departments, some couldn't put a football team on the field if Title IX was repealed. To criticize this H.S. for being competitive at sports is really silly. Can a puma challenge a lion for king of the jungle?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   70.  Not just Catholic HS   by profpeach       at Wed 18 Dec 5:45pm score of 1   in reply to comment 45     Hoop Dreams made it clear that this sort of recruitment is a commonplace for schools with a valuable and influential sports program. (Not to mention $$$)   Catholic or not, you can argue that schools shouldn't be doing this, but if you don't understand how having a winning team can fill school coffers and (may) contribute to the educational programs, you might want to think about it again. I say to them, "Tell that to the lizard people, pal." - rantor   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

46.  Bankable Talent   by Prexaspes       at Tue 17 Dec 9:22pm score of 1     If the kid has bankable talent, I say let him play. I think arguments against him playing smack of paternalism myself. Quite frankly, if some kid were making a ton of moolah on the NYSE, no one would give a shit. Its only when some young athlete - generally black - is going to make it big that we get all emotional over the issue. The assumption of course is that kid is an idiot or at best naive, and us nice white folks need to "protect" him. Shit, the kid is likely make millions and millions of dollars - and with the way athletes are protected from folks who would want to take their money via fraud (and there are lots of cop on the beat as far as this is concerned), its not like he will end up penniless. If you want to worry about exploited children, think about the damn clothes that you are wearing that are made by kids working in sweatshops in Indonesia. Let the kid play. Cheers Everyman has two nations, and one of them is France. - Benjamin Franklin   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

54.  It's sports   by Leonois       at Wed 18 Dec 12:03am score of 0.5 obnoxious     and no one cares except other sports nuts. The question isn't "are athletes role-models" the question is, "do you want fries with that?" Who cares what the parents of some sub-literate freak do and how this influences society? He doesn't influce society anymore than Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel does for drinking that extra six pack during Andy Griffith. Isn't there a website for sports somewhere? Why does it have to be here?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

61.  Re: It's sports   by alaffin       at Wed 18 Dec 8:59am score of 1   in reply to comment 54     I'm terribly sorry that you were somehow forced to click on this story and then read all of the comments. Speaking for all sports nuts everywhere I would like to sincerely apologise for wasting your valuable time. The thing is there seem to be enough sports nuts on Plastic to support this discussion and, well, seeing as this is a general discussion board we sorta thought that we could discuss stuff that we liked. I know, it was insensitive of us. We are very very sorry. satire   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

55.  Fool.   by Kilroy77       at Wed 18 Dec 6:32am score of 0.5 irrelevant     LeBron should think about how this sounds: "Welcome to McDonald's, can LeBron take your order? Can LeBron supersize that for you? Knees are fragile things LeBron, you fuck up yours and all the people and all the hype will go away faster that you can imagine. Go to college(um, it's free) - learn about something other than dunking and chest-thumping. WHO ATE MY BREAKFAST PANTS?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

58.  Re: Fool.   by alaffin       at Wed 18 Dec 7:59am score of 1.5 helpful   in reply to comment 55     um, no. Rookie wage scale: 10 MILLION dollars guaranteed. Shoe contract: 20 MILLION. Would you turn down 30 milllion to go to college? Not to mention the fact that he's totally blown his eligibility to play under NCAA rules so it's not free. Assuming his knees last past draft day he should be just fine. satire   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   72.  You da fool, fool!   by cryofan       at Wed 18 Dec 6:31pm score of 1   in reply to comment 55     Instead, he should quit playing all basketball (except in his backyard or whatever) until the NBA draft. No injuries that way. Then even if he gets cut after 2 months, or injured, and he never plays again, he walks away SET FOR LIFE. That's all that matters. How many people have even $400K (and his signing bonus should be > $1M) in the bank. Homo Sapiens Americanus: A Documentary   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   75.  Re: Fool.   by Rubberstamp       at Thu 19 Dec 9:31am score of 1   in reply to comment 55     LeBron. That is a terrible name. Cultural sensitivity can't save LeBron. I'd go to games just to interrogate his mother for blessing her kid with a handle that awful.(Even though I'm sure she's busy planning how to be millionaire and wouldn't have time for me) Wow...a 3.0 student. It's nice that LeBron(pirate ARRRRRRRGH!!!!)can raise the academic bar for future high school prospects. "Why don't you come down here and chum some of this shit." -- M. Brody   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

57.  by whose standards are we judging his parents?   by sweetback       at Wed 18 Dec 7:34am score of 1.5 interesting     You know, whites have a bad habit of qualifying distinctly cultural difference within the frame of thier own. LeBron's mother loves her son, his Dad(surrogate or otherwise-thier relationship is not for us to quantify) spoils him, and the band plays on, inasmuch as this is not dissimilar to how white parents treat thier kids, whether they are good students/athletes or not. So what his mom runs on the towards the court everytime her son catches an elbow? This type of theater, along with Mr. Williams' etching comments on a board as his daughters kick the dogshit out of everyone and other grandstanding occur to me as cultural differences that are not in anyway evidence of psychosis. Rather, as the sociologist Rawls noted(I think it was Rawls, but I'm sure i'll be corrected) that Black Americans have a distinct and seperate kind of community, and within that socialization, there lie distinct ways of being unique, celebrating victory and relishing success that European American take to be garrish, ostentatious, immodest and to the very small minded. psychotic or evidence of instabililty. My son made honor role this year(his third time, and his last year in a public school) and my wife and I hooped and hollered only to have a teacher come over and advise me that thier community was "not accustomed to such displays". I told her to suck my fat black cock-my son works hard for those grades, and I work even harder for the taxes to pay for these schools. For what I pay in property tax, I should be able to dance buckanekid on the cafeteria tables. To put it another way: Whitey, lighten up-how dare you call names. Maybe if yer parents would give ya'll the ups, you wouldn't have to shoot up the school to get mommy and daddy to notice you. lick my left nut and make the right one jealous . . .   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

77.  Cultural relativism   by LostBoyJim       at Thu 19 Dec 12:25pm score of 1   in reply to comment 57     But mommy, the emperor really isn't wearing any clothes! Don't get me wrong, sweetblack, I have no problem with your post, or your actions at the award ceremony, and I'm sure your black cock is just huge. But: your argument is based on cultural relativism..that is, no culture is "better" or "worse" that another, and if we would all just accept each other with love and harmony the world would be a better place. That is utter bullshit. I do not, and will not, accept as an equal cultures where women are forced to cover themselves from head to foot and treated like possessions. I do not, and will not, accept as an equal cultures that allow or encourage the murder of a person based on their sexual orientation, or political thoughts, or gender, or race. Some cultures are better than others. Some people are better than others. LeBron James is an arrogant, spoiled child being raised by arrogant, greedy, manipulative parents. His race, gender, and orientation are just footnotes to that fact. Oh, and as an aside, I pay property taxes for your child too, as I don't have any. So take that "I pay taxes" so I can do whatever I want self-rightousness out the door. jim   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   79.  Re: Cultural relativism   by Tyler Mack       at Thu 19 Dec 6:25pm score of 1   in reply to comment 77     I do not, and will not, accept as an equal cultures where women are forced to cover themselves from head to foot and treated like possessions. Just go here, Jim. That should at least clear some things up for you. I am not Islamic, but I am not ignorant either. Semper Vigilans   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

76.  Update   by zico       at Thu 19 Dec 11:28am score of 1     This should have been in the writeup, but Eddie Jackson, LeBron's stand-in dad/opportunistic leech, was recently sentenced to three years in a federal prison for mortgage and mail fraud. Needless to say, plenty of other potential "dads" are eager to get in on the action. Also of interest is that LeBron James was insured in case of injury for somewhere in the neighborhood of $5 million. As a junior in high school. Every word is like a stain on silence and nothingness   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

81.  My reaction is completely different than I thought   by waldeaux       at Thu 2 Jan 9:35am score of 1     OK - normally, I would be anti-sports, pro-education, but for some reason I seem to be coming at this situation from the opposite direction. I find the father's attitude horrible (3.0 GPA is not stellar, although that's about where mine was). Seems to both his parents he's an ATM machine with long legs, but I find myself agreeing with the posters who think he should skip school. In fact, most athletes probably should. If they have the talent and that's all they care about, then go into the majors/minors and succeed or burn out there. Get the $$$ while you can. You can always get the college degree later on, and they'll be better students if they're at school for EDUCATION, and not to suck up education $$$ fed through the sports departments. Now you might rightly argue that this sets up the strong possibility that the sports career comes to nothing and then you have nothing to fall back upon. But honestly - how much education do star athletes really get? There have been countless studies done showing a strong anti-correlation between graduation rates and ranking of sports teams, and we all have stories about collegiate jocks getting "gentleman's C" grades a la "W" and Gore so they can still remain eligible to play. They might get the sheepskin to go with the pigskin, but have they really learned anything? Life is a peanut butter and liverwurst sandwich --- Me, 1977   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]