Lebron's dream. The moral of the story: He's not that good.

[Eja117]

Lebron was visited last night by the Ghost of Basketball Future, Rajon Rondo.

Rajon: Let me take you down a path of your future career Lebron if you continue to make the mistakes you are making.

Lebron: What mistakes?

Rajon: You make too many commercials “King”. You’re practically Peyton Manning, but at least he has a ring and stayed in school.

Lebron: Fine. Where are we going?

Rondo: The Hall of Excellent Basketball players.

Lebron: Is that like the Hall of Fame?

Rondo: No. You are a near lock for the Hall of Fame. Lots of players are in there. This place is more important. You will see. This first room is the room of Legitimate Candidates for GOAT.

Lebron: Hey. It’s Michael Jordan and Bill Russell!

Rondo: Yes. And your friend Kobe is here. And your teammate Shaq. And there’s Tim Duncan who swept you out of the finals. And Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. And Kareem.

Lebron: Where am I?

Jordan: Hey look who’s here! It’s that Lebronny kid!

(Magic and Larry are snickering in the corner)

Russell: Who?

Jordan: Lebron James. You know. The “King”

Russell: I have no idea who you’re talking about.

Jordan: (To Lebron). Get out!

Lebron: What?

Jordan: Get out! Now!

Rondo: We have to go to the next room now. This is the room of players who dominated their positions, and did things nobody did or could do. They tend to have one or two rings. They are virtually the best players to ever play their positions.

Lebron: Who is that?

Rondo: That’s Oscar Robertson. And over there is KG and Kevin McHale. There’s Rodman and Hakeem Olowjuwan.  Wilt Chamberline is over there. Bob Cousy is in the corner with Jerry West. Sometimes they let D Wade and Scottie Pippen in here. Isaiah Thomas comes in here sometimes too. And sometimes Dr. J. Also Dennis Johnson is in here because Bird said he was the best player he ever played with and that means something.

Lebron: Where am I?

Gets a scowl from Kevin Garnett

Lebron: Never mind. I’m leaving. Where do we go next?

Rondo: To the room of Players Everyone Respects

Lebron: I have GOT to be in that room.

Rondo: You’ll be surprised actually.

Lebron: Who are these guys?

Rondo: You ignorance is astounding. That is Charles Barkley, John Stockton, and Karl Malone.  There are players here that only won one ring or zero, but at least led their teams in the finals against other great teams.  Steve Nash is here. He’s one of the only ones that never played in the finals allowed in here. Ray Allen and Paul Pierce are here too. And James Worthy.

Lebron: Hey that’s Allen Iverson!

Rondo: They usually make him go to the other room, but you caught him when he was here. They sometimes let Dwight Howard in here, but they make him sit in the corner. They also let Dirk Nowitski spend some time here.  There’s a decent chance Chris Paul will end up here. They also let Reggie Miller in sometimes.

Lebron: I’m getting a little nervous about what’s in the next room. I’ll be here right?

Rondo: The general consensus is that you will probably wind up here at the rate you are going, but the next room is very possible.

Barkley: When you come back bring me some chicken wings!

Iverson: And don’t come back till you have a neck tattoo or something!

Stockton: Why do you say stupid things like that Allen?

Iverson: Whaaatttt?

Barkley: Hey wait King! Before you go I gotta give you this. Take that crown off your head. You look stupid.

Lebon: What are you going to give me.

Barkley: I'm giving you a different crown. Kneel. I hearby crown you the new Dan Marino of the NBA, and I cannot TELL you how good it feels to not have to wear that anymore.

Rondo: Don’t overreact when you reach the next room. You will treat those players with respect.

Lebron: Ohhhhh nooooooo!!!!! God noooooo!!!!!!

Patrick Ewing: Hello Lebron! Why don’t you sit with me?

Lebron: I don’t belong here!!!!!

Patrick: Actually there are some guys that think it’s generous letting you in here. I played in the Jordan era and went to game 7 in the finals against a major Defensive player of the year in Hakeem. A lot of people think it’s not my fault that John Starks went cold that night.

Lebron: But they named the Ewing effect after you! And over there is Carmelo Anthony. And Vince Carter. And TMac! I have to get out of here! Are there other players with odd situations?

Rondo: They feel like Robert Parish doesn’t really qualify for the room before, but that he shouldn’t have to suffer here either.  He just sorta wanders. There's also a Room of Inpiring Role Players where they keep Kurt Rambis and Vlade Divac on the condition he never flops.

Lebron: No! No! No! What do I do? Hey wait. Where will you go?  

Rondo: I am likely to end up in the second or third room.

Lebron: Well how do I get to a better room?

Rondo: Stop making so many commercials until you actually win something. Don’t ever be seen giving up again. Stop losing to teams worse than you and making excuses. Actually lead a team instead of just teaming up with an all-star. Stop calling yourself “King”.

Lebron: Nooooooooooo!!!

Wakes up.  

Lebron: Oh my God. It was just a dream. Oh Thank God.

Turns on Sportscenter. Watches highlights from last night’s game.


Lebron: Noooooooooooooo!!!!


Moral of the story: Lebron isn’t that good of a player. Merely the most overhyped one ever.

[Roy Hobbs]

Very original, and it's obvious you put a lot of work into it.  That being said, I fundamentally disagree with you here:

Lebron isn’t that good of a player. Merely the most overhyped one ever.

Lebron is an amazing player.  He's MVP caliber (legitimately), and is the most individually talented player since Jordan (even moreso than Kobe). 

I think the guy is going to win multiple championships if he stays healthy.  I can't imagine the pressure he's under, where if he doesn't have an excellent game literally every night, his team can't win.  He's got nobody on his roster talented enough to pick him up.  Mo Williams is too inconsistent, and Jamison and Shaq are shells of their former selves.

Lebron is overly arrogant, and overly hyped.  However, he's still a tremendous player.

[Vermont Green]

Moral of the story: Lebron isn’t that good of a player. Merely the most overhyped one ever.

I couldn't disagree more.  Lebron is 25 years old.  I think it is way to early to give up on him.

[Eja117]

I agree he's one of the most talented guys we ever saw. And it's hard to overcome one of the worst coaches we ever saw. But I'm not sure his brain is right, or his work ethic, and I definitely think his heart is subpar at absolute best. 

That's not a champion. That's a pretender.

Also I tend to rate lower guys I am pretty sure are on roids.

[FatjohnReturns]

"Moral of the story: Lebron isn’t that good of a player. Merely the most overhyped one ever."

Moral of the story: dont do drugs
just kidding. Great post. Sorry but LBJ is that good and yea he is overhyped.  Clevelands coaching staff did a poor job in this series.

[fairweatherfan]

LBJ is a great player, but as many have pointed out he hasn't won anything yet, after 2 years of having the best regular season team.  This is a real turning point in his career in a lot of ways.

Related to the legendary player stuff, who else thinks we just saw Shaq's last game?  If LeBron leaves...he's gotta hang em up, I think.

[Lucky17]

Very original. TP.

I agree that he is an extraordinary player, one of the most physically gifted to ever play the game.

But I do believe there is a strong possibility that he will never win a ring. He has 10 seasons left, I'd say. I honestly don't think he'll get one.

[Eja117]

Moral of the story: Lebron isn’t that good of a player. Merely the most overhyped one ever.

I couldn't disagree more.  Lebron is 25 years old.  I think it is way to early to give up on him.

How can it be too early to give up on a player that gave up in the playoffs in a round where he had home court advantage and was playing against a team of old men that had played horrid all year?
He is constantly losing to teams worse or no better than his.

Would Mike Brown have held back Jordan? Or Magic?

[Who]

Very enjoyable post ... fun read.

I disagree with the sentiment though. I think LeBron is that good.

[jdpapa3]

I liked your post.

But, who is the best player he has ever played with? Mo? Andy V? 33 year old Jamison? 38 year old Shaq? You need a true second banana that will come through consistently. Second banana by committee just ain't gonna work. Mo did it for stretches, Jamison barely did, Shaq did, but it just wasn't good enough. You can put all of the 6's and 7's next to him, but to win a championship he needs an 8.5 or 9. Also, the coaching...I know everyone here is a huge Mike Brown fan and I think that tells you all you need to know.

I don't know if I like using the rings argument against him yet. Put him in the same situation at the same age as Kobe and I still see the Lakers with a 3peat. People revere Iverson for leading his team to the Finals, and Lebron did the same thing as a 22 year old.

[Vermont Green]

Moral of the story: Lebron isn’t that good of a player. Merely the most overhyped one ever.

I couldn't disagree more.  Lebron is 25 years old.  I think it is way to early to give up on him.

How can it be too early to give up on a player that gave up in the playoffs in a round where he had home court advantage and was playing against a team of old men that had played horrid all year?
He is constantly losing to teams worse or no better than his.

Would Mike Brown have held back Jordan? Or Magic?

It is too early because historically, 25 year old players continue to improve mentally and physically for several more years.  Jordan didn't win his first championship until he was 28 for example and then stuck around and won 5 more even with a sabatical in the middle.

As far as Mike Brown, I don't know if coaching is the problem or not in this particular series, or the elbow, or what.  I just don't agree that this series is definitive evidence that Lebron is not that good.  I actually like/respect Lebron as a player tremendously and hope he does win some titles, just hopefully during the Celtics rebuilding years.

[PosImpos]

Funny post.  I think Dwight Howard will end up in a better "room" though.

[Celtics17]

Take the best player off of the C's and put Lebron in his spot. Now, who is the far and away favorite to win the title? Lebron looking any better now?

[incoherent]

All the hype ruined his will power.

[wiley]

5 TP's for your entertaining post!

Disagree though.  James is the best in the game, but still young.  Without him the Cavs are in lottery, seriously, around the level of Minnesota....Media hype is a problem, I agree....He's got to get off that track as best he can in order to focus.  MJ had the focus.  So far Lebron lacks it, but he's young as I said....