Is there a more oft criticized player than LeBron?

[TheOUTLAW]

I'm watching PTI and of course the talking heads (who by the way all picked the Wiz) are criticizing LeBron for passing the ball out to Delonte for the open jumper. Is it me, or is all this criticism getting ridiculus. I don't remember anyone questioning Kobe's judgment when he gave up the ball in a losing effort against the Cavs and yet LeBron gets criticized for getting the ball to an open teammate in a position where he can shoot. Are you kidding me?

[CzBoobie]

What did they say about it?

[TheOUTLAW]

One comment was that If the owner is paying you 14-18 mil they expect you to take that call. The real idea was that if he didn't make it LeBron would have been roundly criticized but by even using that argument they were already criticizing his judgement.

[L&H_05]

I just want a championship one of these days... Even if LBJ bolts, if we can get one championship with our hopefully improved roster within the next two years I don't care about anything else at all in the NBA...

LBJ is ripped more than any other player I have ever seen... People that used to rip Kobe had legit reasons in terms of HIS weird attitude to rip him... LeBron gets ripped by guys that are entertainment hires (Bayless) by ESPN for no reasons just for entertainment... Whether it's his game, commercials, things he says, things he does (like SNL, ESPY'S) being given hype that he didn't ask for, being the face of the league that he didn't ask for etc...

And all he does is give his teammates credit, promotes the NBA to the highest degree, tries to say the right things, tries not to get into any major trouble off the court, and tries to win basketball games with limited help...

For me though, all I care about is a championship... I don't care what anyone else says, or even what LBJ says...Just get us one in Cleveland, LeBron, and then do whatever in the hell you want..

[Benedict_Boozer]

^I agree with that sentiment. Though I'd like to see 2-3 championships, because a guy with Lebron's abilities are rare - we need to get as many as we can.

[CzBoobie]

One comment was that If the owner is paying you 14-18 mil they expect you to take that call. The real idea was that if he didn't make it LeBron would have been roundly criticized but by even using that argument they were already criticizing his judgement.

lol, didn't they also say what they would have criticized him for if he had made that shot?

[LiquidFire]

just go look in the gen nba board.. its all there

[eyejayem]

There are a couple of things I dislike about the league today.

1. Basketball is a team sport so for the fact that basketball as a business has turned this into one man show at times is sickening. We are all victims of this because as much as I hate both I'll take Kobe over the Spurs purely for entertainment.

2. Money means more than loyalty. What happen to star players taking paycuts to get their team better. Remember Jordan took a cut to get Pippen and Rodman signed, granted more of his money came from endorsements but we live in a marketing world.

3. (this is what answers today's topic) Your go-to guy should do what he does best- period! Why not Michael Jordan passing to Paxson or Kerr to win championships as the best basketball move.

So the arguement of "if I pay x player ,x amount of dollars than I expect..." Now with that said, I expect to put the ball in a players hands like Kidd, Nash, or Magic but expect them to pass because they create. Lebron is in another league due to the fact he can score and pass with equal efficiency. I'll take a wide open 3 instead of a well contested fade away any day.

All players on the court are getting paid to make shots(except Ben Wallace), the one who gets paid the most is supposed to take the pressure off of everyone else.

[L&H_05]

But you know what, it just goes to show how great LBJ is, and how popular he is as well...

Take Melo for instance.. A supposed NBA "superstar" The guy was just arrested..Ever since he's been in the league he can't lead his team out of a wet paper bag.. His game is limited considering he can't pass the ball, handle the ball, get much out of his teammates etc...

Yet, the general board/ media heads still ramble on about this or that regarding LBJ...

Basically is just how insignificant Melo is and other superstars are in comparison to LBJ... Which in of it elf shows just how great LBJ really is..

[Icness]

Skip Bayless hates all things Ohio, so just ignore him. He once called Randy Moss a "lucky hack", so there you go.

One of the trappings of being a superstar is that the better you are, the more that opposing fans and critics are going to despise you and try to knock you down. Being that Lebron is the first true star we've had in Cleveland since, uh, hmm, Jim Brown, we're not real used to that level of venom and spite. Cleveland fans in general aren't that way either--by and large Cleveland fans show their appreciation for opponents' skill better than any other fandom.

I pose this question to those who blame him for passing and getting an assist on the game winner:
Would you rather him pass to a wide-open teammate, or hoist a contested shot himself and miss? Because that is what Arenas chose, and that's also what Bosh did the other night. They lost, Cavs won. I'll take the wins, thank you very much!

[gflem]

Eye's last paragraph though small says it all. The franchise player is supposed to make his teammates better, and lebron does that. And Ice, you are being both logical and rational (as you usually are) so your thoughts are way over the head of the haters.

Most of them cant handle logic, just go the general board and try to make sense. they will just start the name calling and conspiracy junk as usual.

[Benedict_Boozer]

Gen board haters are a different breed.

Basically nearly 100% of the Lebron haters on there are Kobe fans. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why.

[Gus McCrae]

is this a serious question?

I didn't realize Lebron was overly criticized. Kobe Bryant is criticized MUCH more than Lebron, though more in the past.
Players criticized more? Try T-Mac, AI, Carmelo, Stoudemire, Shaq, Kidd, Dirk, Durant.

Basically, try any player who has to lead a team and I'd say they all get criticized MORE than lebron. He's the golden child.

Comparing him to Kobe, it does suck to be the only superstar or even star on a team, Lebron is going through what Kobe went through the last 4 years or what AI went throuh in Philly.

The thing about that is, critics hate on the team and they'll hate on the face of it, even though, no disrespect but without Lebron the Cavs are a last place team.

EDIT: To clarify any confusion, I'm not a lebron hater, I think Lebron is one of the top 3 players in the NBA with Kobe and CP3 (won't name in what order) and anyone who says they wouldn't want him on tehir team is full of i$h.

[TheOUTLAW]

As you said yourself, Kobe was criticized in the past. Past is past, I haven't hear a single criticism of Kobe at all this season. Frankly prior years it was justified by his play. But this really isn't about Kobe. LeBron is criticized ten times more than anyone else you've mentioned.

[Gordon Bombay]

is this a serious question?

I didn't realize Lebron was overly criticized. Kobe Bryant is criticized MUCH more than Lebron, though more in the past.
Players criticized more? Try T-Mac, AI, Carmelo, Stoudemire, Shaq, Kidd, Dirk, Durant.

amare, shaq, kidd and durant?

i can see tmac, ai, carmello and dirk on the same level as lebron but not those four

[LoveThemCavs]

Not sure if he's the most criticized, but anyone questioning passing the ball in that situation is crazy. How do you criticize the right play, a pass to a wide open player, over forcing a shot with 2-3 defenders all over you? I don't know if these talking heads really understand LeBron's game. His passing skills is what makes him truly great. His understanding of where the defense is coming and awareness of his teammates position. I've see too many LeBron fadaway three pointers at the end of the shot clock to always want LeBron shooting it. If he thinks one of his teammates has a better shot, I'm all for it. As for ESPN, Bayless is the biggest hater I've seen on tv yet. It's so rediculous, I don't bother listening to it. It would probably be easier to listen to if Bayless played the game. I can't even imagine that guy shooting around in the backyard.

[laka4life]

Don't yell at me for trollin cuz I'm not. I'm agreein from a standpoint.

We as Laker fans see the same thing. Our superstar no matter what he does right always has a negative to go with it. His 81 point game, a should be amazing feat, is seen as selfish and a detriment to the team.

So to answer the question, yes, Kobe and LeBron are both oft criticized ridiculous amounts. It's stupid. People are jealous of greatness it's that simple. That simple.

[TheOUTLAW]

I've seen Kobe be selfish, but strangely enough, that 81 point game was not a good example. Kobe did what he needed to get his team a win. Had he scored 81 and lost that might have been different. I thought he was more selfish in the playoffs when he intentionally was looking to not shoot. C'mon, sure people were criticizing him for not getting others involved but he needed to find some middleground and not just refuse to score.

[laka4life]

Did you listen to any of the NBA analysts afterwards?? Obviously not, because there were repeated people, players (Jerry Stackhouse) who just kept asking how many assists he had.

It's just an example, not the basis of the point. You can't say LeBron's more criticized. Kobe averaged 35-6-5 on a 45 win team in the West two years ago and wasn't even mentioned for the MVP, all the while playing with guys like Kwame.

I'm not arguing whose better, whose more valuable. That's a whole other debate.

But LeBron's not the only one.

Look at Tracy McGrady. The man is playing with one arm and one leg with no talent around him against a very good Utah team and people are throwing him under the bus. Yea, he hasn't been the best playoff performer. But all his fault? bull

Look at KG. People are now on a huge trip about how he's not a legit MVP because he doesn't take a game over at the end. Excuse me, but taking a team to 66 wins after them barely beating junior varsity high school teams the year before matters, just as it did when Steve Nash won the MVP.

The point here is simple. THe truly great players in this league, the one's that our grandchildren will still talk about (Kobe, LeBron, KG, other young ones maybe) will get criticized til the day they die. That's jealousy. Point blank.

Poeple always hate on greatness. LeBron was called not good enough after the finals last year after beating the Pistons 1 v 5.

It comes with the territory of being a great player, a legend. Yes, he is criticized to hte highest of levels.

But so are so many other players in sports history (Favre too many picks, Marino no superbowl, Malone no ring, Jim Brown didn't play long enough) could go on forever.

That's people being picky and little bitches, because they won't recognize true greatness. Yes, LeBron has it. Even coming from a Laker fan. But he's not alone.

[calibanPK]

Nope.