Thursday, 1 July 2010
Chosen 1
This morning one of the world's best athletes LeBron James became a free agent by allowing his existing contract to run out. The 25-year old who earnt $43m last year now awaits offers from around the NBA for his services.
But unlike Deon Burton or Darren Randolph where their agents will no doubt be begging and harangueing clubs for offers, LeBron James will host potential suitors at an expected lavish but secret location in north-eastern Ohio, a couple of hundred miles from his beloved home in Akron, OH (believe me I spent a lot of time in Akron, OH and I don't see it's appeal).
LeBron James is the world's best basketball player. He may even be better than 'His Airness' Michael Jordan, but after seven years of single-handedly giving the Cleveland Cavaliers success that before James was unthinkable, the Cavs nor James never won a NBA Championship title.
Jordan won six titles, all whilst wearing the colours of the Chicago Bulls, Kobe Bryant has won five, the same as Magic Johnson and if James is to be talked about in the same breath then he needs to hurry up and start winning.
But where will that be? Salary caps will eliminate a lot of NBA teams, as will geography. James is not going to be signing for the Oklahoma City Thunder and live in Choctaw, OK for example. James likes the good-life and any potential new home will need to offer that as well as a team that already has the foundations of potential champions. LeBron James can't afford to hang around.
The New York Knicks think that the cities bright lights will inspire James to move to the Big Apple. New Jersey Nets' Russian billionaire owner Mikhail Dmitrievitch Prokhorov will have a copy of Roman Abramovich's business plan on him when he meets LeBron, Los Angeles Clippers will offer dreams of Hollywood while Miami Heat will try to coalesce Dwayne Wade, who is also a free agent and James together to build a title winning team in Florida. And there is still a chance that no one will tempt the Ohio boy away from his home town and he will stay in Cleveland.
This morning one of the world's best athletes LeBron James became a free agent by allowing his existing contract to run out. The 25-year old who earnt $43m last year now awaits offers from around the NBA for his services.But unlike Deon Burton or Darren Randolph where their agents will no doubt be begging and harangueing clubs for offers, LeBron James will host potential suitors at an expected lavish but secret location in north-eastern Ohio, a couple of hundred miles from his beloved home in Akron, OH (believe me I spent a lot of time in Akron, OH and I don't see it's appeal).
LeBron James is the world's best basketball player. He may even be better than 'His Airness' Michael Jordan, but after seven years of single-handedly giving the Cleveland Cavaliers success that before James was unthinkable, the Cavs nor James never won a NBA Championship title.
Jordan won six titles, all whilst wearing the colours of the Chicago Bulls, Kobe Bryant has won five, the same as Magic Johnson and if James is to be talked about in the same breath then he needs to hurry up and start winning.
But where will that be? Salary caps will eliminate a lot of NBA teams, as will geography. James is not going to be signing for the Oklahoma City Thunder and live in Choctaw, OK for example. James likes the good-life and any potential new home will need to offer that as well as a team that already has the foundations of potential champions. LeBron James can't afford to hang around.
The New York Knicks think that the cities bright lights will inspire James to move to the Big Apple. New Jersey Nets' Russian billionaire owner Mikhail Dmitrievitch Prokhorov will have a copy of Roman Abramovich's business plan on him when he meets LeBron, Los Angeles Clippers will offer dreams of Hollywood while Miami Heat will try to coalesce Dwayne Wade, who is also a free agent and James together to build a title winning team in Florida. And there is still a chance that no one will tempt the Ohio boy away from his home town and he will stay in Cleveland.
But surely if LeBron James is to become not only the best, but the best ever it is to Chicago that the King without a title ring must head. James has said he will make a decision on his future by July 5th.
¶ 13:08
