"I regret disrespecting LeBron" - Johnny Manziel reveals squandering LeBron James' efforts to lift him out of depression
LeBron James is widely considered one of the greatest athletes in US sports history. As a high schooler who was declared to be the chosen one, James was under tremendous pressure. The consensus among most professional sports world is that James has lived up to the hype while giving back to others.
Throughout his career, he has competed for and given back to his hometown of Cleveland. Given that, LeBron James and his longtime friend Maverick Carter were quick to take American Football standout Johnny Manziel under their wing many years back.
Despite that, Manziel, who has since opened up on his bipolar diagnosis, dealt with depression and drug addiction.
Manziel spoke with Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay, where he opened up on how James attempted to help him battle depression.
"LeBron would text me every week to come over to the house and watch a game or play poker with the boys and just tried to be there," Manziel said. "And I was so depressed for the first time in my life that even my biggest role model and inspiration in my life couldn't get me out of bed to come and hang out with them."
... "I regret wasting a couple of Joe Thomas' last years in Cleveland. I regret disrespecting LeBron and not making sure what it meant to me. Showing him that I give a f--k enough to just do what's right. To listen to Mav and listen to the team they built around me."
Johnny Manziel opens up on difficult past following admission of regret regarding LeBron James
As Shannon Sharpe and Johnny Manziel discussed on the Club Shay Shay podcast, Skip Bayless said the QB would be bigger than LeBron James in Cleveland. Although many chalked this up to Bayless being a critic of James more than anything, many were drawing parallels between the two athletes.
Manziel, much like LeBron, was a highly touted prospect from Cleveland, who then was drafted to play for the city, further adding to the pressure on the young star. Thanks to James and Carter's LRMR marketing firm, Manziel, who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns, saw his popularity surge.
Despite fans considering Manziel to be the NFL version of James who would lead Cleveland to a title, he was hiding some dark secrets. As he indicated in a documentary that was released over the summer, he refused to enter rehab for his addiction problems.
Instead, the quarterback went on a $5-million bender before attempting to commit suicide. According to the former NFL player, the gun malfunctioned, leading him to mending fences with his family and seeking help.
Since then, he has not only mended fences with his family, but he has also found sobriety. While it's unclear if he will return to the Fan-Controlled Football League in 2024, it's clear that he's come a long way since his days playing in Cleveland.