If you don't remember, James was arguably the greatest free agent in NBA history. The decision by LeBron Jame at the time came off as arrogant move by a rich spoiled athlete. In 2010, LeBron James went live on television to announce his departure from the Cleveland Cavaliers. After the 2018 Finals, it was almost a relief that he left; the prospect of watching the Cavs inevitably lose to the Warriors again and again was too much. When LeBron James attempted to bypass traditional media channels with 'The Decision,' fans were practically hardwired to reject it. James was roundly criticized for the segment, which sparked a wide range of emotions among Cavaliers fans, many of whom burned LeBron jerseys in effigy. All of that has combined to build him into a figure with arguably unparalleled influence in the history of the league. 'The Decision' revisited: How LeBron James used free agency to empower players to control their own narratives James was the first superstar to announce his decision … Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, announcement to head to Miami to pair with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, he paired with a master wordsmith like Lee Jenkins in 2014. Let’s be honest, no one was mad about "The Decision" until LeBron James didn’t say what they wanted him to.Not one, not two, not three, not any of y’all were that upset going in. After much build up during “The Decision” special on ESPN, James … LeBron James ‘The Decision’ to air on Sunday; Catch ‘behind the scenes’ footage in his infamous move to Miami Heat. The mass panic regarding LeBron James’ departure from Cleveland is almost laughable after a decade of reflection. A decade later, how should we feel about The Decision? We’re not talking about money. The only thing cooler than The Decision was the Heat’s welcome party for the Big Three the next night. His business empire has expanded past basketball and into entertainment, with his name helming dozens of television and film projects. Widely considered one of the greatest NBA players in history, James is frequently compared to Michael Jordan in debates over the greatest basketball player of all time. Much like LeBron’s career as a whole, The Decision wasn’t perfect, but our lives are all more interesting for having experienced it. All Rights Reserved. free agency. The Houston Rockets are reportedly working with the NBA office to review a video of James Harden at a club. It’s why he paired with a master wordsmith like Lee Jenkins in 2014 to announce his intention to return to Cleveland. In other parts of the country, it was a moment some would like to forget. On July 8, 2010, LeBron James transformed the NBA landscape when he announced his decision to join the Miami Heat. He’s a more powerful athlete, a global superstar with three N.B.A. But 10 years on, I can’t imagine things working out better for everyone. championships and a settled legacy. athletes viewed their own leverage in free agency. On July 8, 2010, LeBron James changed the landscape of the NBA for years to come with a few simple words. Via that show he did with Jim Gray on ESPN, James raised 3.5 million U.S. dollars and donated all the money to charity. First the Cavs tried adding pretty good–level vets, like Larry Hughes, Mo Williams and Ben Wallace. Andy Hall Follow on Twitter June 22, 2020. ESPN’s “Backstory: The Decision” reveals new insight on LeBron James’ infamous night back in 2010 that shook the NBA world. Would James do it again? I maintain that people were only mad about The Decision after LeBron didn't say what they wanted him to. We’re not talking about contracts here. One post read, “Regardless of what Lebron’s real intention behind his words on Morey, he definitely messed up.” Several accused James of cowardice. The search for complementary pieces just wasn’t working. Protesters hold photographs of LeBron James in Hong Kong on Tuesday. The Decision was made by LeBron James during a one hour televised broadcast on ESPN. (Farewell, Shaq and Antawn Jamison.) Which is why I believe the Miami Heat pep rally actually rubbed more people the wrong way. While player empowerment and star player movement did occur in the decades prior (see early examples of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson, among others), James’ TV show on ESPN was a pioneering event for players showing authority and control over the content associated with their brand. Did James’s public image change overnight? history, tried to clarify earlier comments with posts on Twitter, saying that Daryl Morey did not consider the “ramifications of the tweet.”, a bill that would allow athletes to seek endorsements. Prescient, but even then I didn’t think they’d get the top pick three times in four years. LeBron James’ ”The Decision” show produced one of the most memorable moments in South Florida sports history. Interview by John Kerfoot. And yet, the potential harm to James’s business interests caused by Morey’s Twitter post cannot reasonably be separated from his criticism of the general manager. Last month, Gov. While James announced his decision to join Miami Heat, 'The Decision' TV special faced a lot of backlash, as people accused the current Los Angeles Lakers star of being selfish and seeking the spotlight.As per recent reports, the NBA star came to regret his decision immediately after it aired. As Sports Illustrated’s resident Heat fan, let me tell you, The Decision was one of the best nights of my otherwise meaningless life. But James has operated under the kind of microscope no athlete in history has had to contend with and this often cited as his greatest gaffe. LeBron James The Decision: Backstory of The Decision. He said he had been to China more than a dozen times in his career — usually with the league or one of his corporate sponsors like Nike, which counts China as its third largest market. Nearly 10 years after LeBron James announced his decision to play for the Miami Heat on a live show on ESPN titled “The Decision,” the network revealed Saturday that the idea for the show actually came from a fan. 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