In 2003, a new teenaged phenomenon entered the NBA, his star on the rise with a moniker “King James.” His timing was perfect because another former teenager who had gained superstar status was facing a major PR crisis due to an admitted indiscretion. At 24, although Kobe had won 3 NBA Championships, sponsors ran away fearing his image was tarnished. The lucky recipient of the endorsements was LeBron “King” James. LeBron entered the NBA with so much fanfare that he eclipsed another great Rookie by the name of Carmelo Anthony.
Catapulted into a global icon, LeBron feasted on the attention building one of the most successful personal brands in NBA history. Many would agree that LeBron had acquired the “Midas Touch.” By no coincidence, there are many parallels between the lives of Midas and LeBron. Both were born poor and while LeBron was called “The Chosen 1” by Sports Illustrated, Midas’ mother was from the Prophetic Race. Midas was crowned King because he fit the description of the oracular prediction to the people of Phrygia. Lebron fit the needs of sponsors running away from the previous phenom [Kobe] because LeBron had the desired talent and stats. And, so began a love affair with sports enthusiasts and fans around the world.
LeBron is a great case study for sports marketing. His business acumen that guided him as he amassed a fortune that would take several lifetimes to create, is remarkable for someone his age. Everything he did was measured and precise to build his image or brand. He personally handled his reputation and was very involved in creative discussions on ads and movie appearances. His pregame ritual of tossing the chalk and throwing his head back with arms outstretched adorned a 10 foot high Nike mural ad with the words “We are all witnesses.”
Although he didn’t exude the natural charm of someone like Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat, he displayed an ease in the limelight that was beyond his years. His fame lent success to everything he touched and all the world was at peace with that.
When he became a free agent in 2010, it started an obsession that transcended water cooler topics with everyone wanting to know, “Where will LeBron go?” The frenzied coast to coast courtship that ensued rivaled any event I can remember. For a moment, people didn’t seem to care about what was going on in the world, except where the “King” would hold court. The suspense leading to his announcement on national TV resulted in a 7.6 rating for the one hour special on ESPN.
However, after 7 years of LeBron enjoying the supreme spotlight, the entire world is not at peace with LeBron. Now that LeBron has left Cleveland for the sizzling hot team in Miami, LeBron is no longer everyone’s darling. While South Beach is salivating at the thought of another Championship run, fans and NBA experts outside of Miami have mixed feelings. Did LeBron’s Midas Touch finally turn into a burden like it did to King Midas?
Some have described the hyped up “Decision” aired exclusively on ESPN, hosted by Jim Gray as a narcissistic display devoid of any class. Others have called his decision to play with Dwyane Wade a cop out, a coward’s route to a Championship, suggesting that he may have tarnished his legacy. Some posters proclaim that LeBron loyalists’ lament that “he had no help to win” is a myth, going further to say he didn’t deliver. Some question his future as a legend.
Reverting back to Greek legend, the Cavaliers owner on the other hand reminds me of King Minos who hired Daedalus, a superior Athenian craftsman, and his son Icarus to build a labyrinth to imprison the Minotaur (half man, half bull). After completing their assignment, Daedalus and Icarus were held captive because they gave away information that would lead to the Minotaur’s defeat. In my interpretation, the labyrinth is the team that would win the prestigious Larry O’Brien Trophy (the Minotaur). This would make Daedalus, Cavs Coach Mike Brown.
This begs the question, is LeBron now Icarus? In a sizzling hot city like Miami, can he prevent himself from flying too close to the sun?
