duncan228
04-17-2008, 08:33 PM
http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/2008/04/lebron_james_burden_a_team_and.html
LeBron James' burden? A team and a city
by Branson Wright
The tears rolled down the cheek of Austin Carr once the pingpong balls dropped and placed the Cavaliers in a position they had not been in before. Many others shared tears of happiness with Carr, a former player with the Cavaliers.
Suddenly, the fate of a franchise and a city was riding on the back of a teenager when the Cavs won the 2003 NBA Draft Lottery and the right to make LeBron James the No. 1 pick. Shortly after James was selected, he promised to light the city up like Las Vegas.
Well, the city did just that following last year's Eastern Conference finals, but the San Antonio Spurs unplugged the power, winning the NBA Finals in a sweep. The Cavs and this region's hopes and dreams faded to black.
Now the Cavaliers, led by James, are back in the hunt for a title, and it starts Saturday in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Washington Wizards. For the third straight year, the franchise and the region depend upon James' promise.
No other player in the league is as much the face of a city and franchise as James. The Los Angeles Lakers have Kobe Bryant and the San Antonio Spurs have Tim Duncan, but they are not nearly as identifiable with their respective teams and city as James.
"I was born for this," James said. "A family member once told me that I was born for this and I didn't know what it was at the time -- but now I know."
James says he's comfortable with the expectations of carrying the Cavaliers deep into the playoffs, adding he believes he was "born for this."It's been years since Detroit Pistons General Manager Joe Dumars has seen anything like James' impact.
"The last time I saw a player so identifiable with a city would have to be Michael Jordan in Chicago," Dumars said. "Like Jordan, LeBron's transformed not only a team, but a city as well. When you hear Cleveland, you think of LeBron James right away. It's one thing to transform a team by winning games, but it's another to also transform an entire city."
There's no mistake on who is the surrogate mayor of Cleveland.
"Every visiting team sees it when they're headed for the hotel," said Cavs guard Devin Brown. "You see that huge billboard of LeBron and that tells you a lot right there. That tells you whose city it is."
For example, Brown said a typical conversation about sports in this city will always lead to one person.
"You could be in a conversation about the Indians and what they need to do and how the team can improve," Brown said. "And you can talk about the Browns and free agency or the draft. But whenever you mention the Cavs, the conversation quickly leads to LeBron and what LeBron has to do in the playoffs."
Unlike Bryant and Duncan, James was born near the city he plays in. The hometown attention in Akron, which he received throughout his high school career at St. Vincent-St. Mary, carried over.
"The one thing about Cleveland is that they're really loyal to their own people," said center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. "I've seen guys come in and as soon as they struggle, everyone gets on him. The guy that comes from the area gets a little extra time to struggle before they get on him, and to have one of the best in the world to be from the area is special."
So are the numbers. Attendance has soared since James joined the Cavs. He has one of the most popular NBA jerseys, and his popularity is worldwide. There's so much attention and so many people that depend on him that there are jokes that James suffered back spasms because he was holding everyone up.
James is in a pressure situation, but a unique position. Despite the consistent attention, he has embraced it.
"I take it for what it is," James said. "I just like the responsibility. I've always been a leader of a team and a leader of a ballclub, and it wasn't going to change once I got into the NBA."
James' situation recalls the NBA's past. The league used to hold a territorial draft to stimulate local interest for players who went to a local high school or college.
Before James, there was Wilt Chamberlain, who played in his hometown of Philadelphia through most of the 1960s, and Oscar Robertson, who played for the Cincinnati Royals from 1960 to 1970 after his stint with the University of Cincinnati.
Longtime Philadelphia basketball guru and 76ers executive adviser Sonny Hill said other athletes have been in James' position, but there's a difference.
"LeBron's situation is unique because of the media coverage today," Hill said. "Those guys in the past still had pressure because they were playing in their home cities. The responsibility on LeBron is that he's one of the premier players in the world, so there's a lot of pressure from that point. He also has a big responsibility because he's also one of the faces of basketball in the world. With him it's like being with a rock star."
That status won't help the Cavs get past the Wizards. It will take James' performance to get his team into the second round. But leading his team and the city to greater heights remains the goal. Last season's trip to the finals in only his fourth year was just a start.
When it comes to trying to win a championship, James said he is not finished.
And despite the weight, he plans to carry the franchise and the city with him.
LeBron James' burden? A team and a city
by Branson Wright
The tears rolled down the cheek of Austin Carr once the pingpong balls dropped and placed the Cavaliers in a position they had not been in before. Many others shared tears of happiness with Carr, a former player with the Cavaliers.
Suddenly, the fate of a franchise and a city was riding on the back of a teenager when the Cavs won the 2003 NBA Draft Lottery and the right to make LeBron James the No. 1 pick. Shortly after James was selected, he promised to light the city up like Las Vegas.
Well, the city did just that following last year's Eastern Conference finals, but the San Antonio Spurs unplugged the power, winning the NBA Finals in a sweep. The Cavs and this region's hopes and dreams faded to black.
Now the Cavaliers, led by James, are back in the hunt for a title, and it starts Saturday in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Washington Wizards. For the third straight year, the franchise and the region depend upon James' promise.
No other player in the league is as much the face of a city and franchise as James. The Los Angeles Lakers have Kobe Bryant and the San Antonio Spurs have Tim Duncan, but they are not nearly as identifiable with their respective teams and city as James.
"I was born for this," James said. "A family member once told me that I was born for this and I didn't know what it was at the time -- but now I know."
James says he's comfortable with the expectations of carrying the Cavaliers deep into the playoffs, adding he believes he was "born for this."It's been years since Detroit Pistons General Manager Joe Dumars has seen anything like James' impact.
"The last time I saw a player so identifiable with a city would have to be Michael Jordan in Chicago," Dumars said. "Like Jordan, LeBron's transformed not only a team, but a city as well. When you hear Cleveland, you think of LeBron James right away. It's one thing to transform a team by winning games, but it's another to also transform an entire city."
There's no mistake on who is the surrogate mayor of Cleveland.
"Every visiting team sees it when they're headed for the hotel," said Cavs guard Devin Brown. "You see that huge billboard of LeBron and that tells you a lot right there. That tells you whose city it is."
For example, Brown said a typical conversation about sports in this city will always lead to one person.
"You could be in a conversation about the Indians and what they need to do and how the team can improve," Brown said. "And you can talk about the Browns and free agency or the draft. But whenever you mention the Cavs, the conversation quickly leads to LeBron and what LeBron has to do in the playoffs."
Unlike Bryant and Duncan, James was born near the city he plays in. The hometown attention in Akron, which he received throughout his high school career at St. Vincent-St. Mary, carried over.
"The one thing about Cleveland is that they're really loyal to their own people," said center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. "I've seen guys come in and as soon as they struggle, everyone gets on him. The guy that comes from the area gets a little extra time to struggle before they get on him, and to have one of the best in the world to be from the area is special."
So are the numbers. Attendance has soared since James joined the Cavs. He has one of the most popular NBA jerseys, and his popularity is worldwide. There's so much attention and so many people that depend on him that there are jokes that James suffered back spasms because he was holding everyone up.
James is in a pressure situation, but a unique position. Despite the consistent attention, he has embraced it.
"I take it for what it is," James said. "I just like the responsibility. I've always been a leader of a team and a leader of a ballclub, and it wasn't going to change once I got into the NBA."
James' situation recalls the NBA's past. The league used to hold a territorial draft to stimulate local interest for players who went to a local high school or college.
Before James, there was Wilt Chamberlain, who played in his hometown of Philadelphia through most of the 1960s, and Oscar Robertson, who played for the Cincinnati Royals from 1960 to 1970 after his stint with the University of Cincinnati.
Longtime Philadelphia basketball guru and 76ers executive adviser Sonny Hill said other athletes have been in James' position, but there's a difference.
"LeBron's situation is unique because of the media coverage today," Hill said. "Those guys in the past still had pressure because they were playing in their home cities. The responsibility on LeBron is that he's one of the premier players in the world, so there's a lot of pressure from that point. He also has a big responsibility because he's also one of the faces of basketball in the world. With him it's like being with a rock star."
That status won't help the Cavs get past the Wizards. It will take James' performance to get his team into the second round. But leading his team and the city to greater heights remains the goal. Last season's trip to the finals in only his fourth year was just a start.
When it comes to trying to win a championship, James said he is not finished.
And despite the weight, he plans to carry the franchise and the city with him.