NBA insider denies being a LeBron James 'hater,' disapproves of four-time MVP controlling legacy narrative
The 2024 Olympics will be LeBron James’ last time competing in the quadrennial Games. He committed to the USA Basketball program after his compatriots failed to finish with a medal in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. “King James” is playing in the Olympics for the first time since 2012.
James will earn his third gold medal if the Americans rule the tournament. He is on track to add another trophy to a cabinet that has long been bursting at the seams with awards. The LA Lakers superstar’s legacy will be even more mind-boggling if that happens.
Yahoo! Sports’ Ros Gold-Onwude talked about how the 2024 Olympics could help shape LeBron James’ legacy. She emphasized a deep and talented field that has been no match (so far) against Team USA. A gold medal, according to her, will be very “impressive.”
Vincent Goodwill, the co-host of the show, responded:
“Because LeBron is obsessed with legacy in a way, it doesn’t allow us to actually give him the praise ‘cause he’s doing it himself.”
Gold-Onwude cut him off, saying that his comment sounded like a “shade.” She did concede that James usually wants to control narratives around him.
Vincent Goodwill continued after she hilariously told him he sounded “annoyed.”
“People here call me a LeBron hater. They say I hate LeBron because I call him the second or third greatest player of all time. That's not an insult. We'll never see another athlete like him, who came into the NBA with so much hype and expectation.
“He had so much hype, and the only thing he could do was fail, but he didn't. That's his greatest victory, not where he ranks on Mount Rushmore or if he's better than Jordan, Kobe [Bryant], or Magic [Johnson].”
LeBron James has declared himself the greatest of all-time[GOAT] on several occasions. James mentioned his 2016 championship over the Golden State Warriors as the feat that put him on top of every contender.
“King James,” with help from Kyrie Irving, dragged the Cleveland Cavaliers to a stunning win over the Dubs in seven games. James’ Cavaliers became the first team to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy after trailing 3-1 in the championship series.
For Vincent Goodwill, James has been trying to control that discussion and he doesn’t want to argue with anybody about that. The senior reporter added that he avoids such arguments as “everyone’s in their corners and no one’s changing their mind.”
LeBron James wants his legacy to extend beyond basketball
LeBron James’ legacy will always be associated with basketball. His name will be part of the sport long after he stops competing. The four-time Olympian, however, hopes he will be remembered for something bigger than the sport he has been playing since he was a kid.
Here’s what James had to say about his legacy in an interview with “Today:”
“Basketball has definitely given me an opportunity to see parts of the world and do things that I’ve never, I would never even imagine or be able to do without it. But if my legacy is only talking about the game of basketball, then I failed in my mission, so — we’ll see, though.”
LeBron James will continue to have his say but it will ultimately be the people who will choose how they will remember him.