Tank's Take February 7, 2003

Leave LeBron James Alone

The ongoing saga of LeBron James is a sad commentary on greed, exploitation, and over exposure. From the time rumors were floating that he wanted to challenge the NBA rule that banned High School Juniors from entering the NBA Draft we should have known trouble lie ahead. However, the fact that NBA teams wanted to get their hands on him from the start last year only added fuel to the fire, and set up the situation where a High School Senior has become one of the most famous basketball players in the world.

LeBron James fame has had its effect in the NBA as recently fired Cleveland Cavaliers Coach Jerry Lucas, and Dallas Mavericks Coach Don Nelson were suspended 2 games at the beginning of the season for working with the Akron, Ohio Prep-star. The Cavaliers who are the worst team in the NBA revel in each loss knowing it increases their chances of landing the hometown star. James star shines so bright that; Cleveland has been selected as the sight of the annual McDonalds All-American High School All-Star Game. These are moves that are unique and show the interest in LeBron James at the pro level.

The McDonald's All-American Game at one time was a first opportunity to the upcoming class of College Freshman, now it also serves as a springboard to the NBA as many High School stars trying to achieve the success of Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady and Kobe Bryant are foregoing college all together. For the success of KG, T-Mac, and Kobe there are also failures of Taj McDavid, Ellis Richardson, and Tony Key who were not even drafted after foregoing their college eligibility. In addition Leon Smith who experienced serve philological problems in his rookie season with the Dallas Mavericks should give pause to any High School star from thinking they are ready.

However, none of those players even 2001 top draft pick Kwame Brown had the type of LeBron James. ESPN seeing he never will play in the NCAA has chosen to air select games of his team St Vincent-St. Mary's, if you can't catch him on ESPN, you can watch him on Pay Per View as an Ohio Pay Per View Company has put all of LeBron's games on TV. N addition St. Vincent-St. Mary's are being invited to play in games from LA to New Jersey, future exploiting the 18-year old star. Money is being made off LeBron James left and right even the OHSAA who suspended LeBron James is making money off of him. In addition a bidding war is beginning to heat up between some of the top agents, and sneaker companies to get the services of LeBron James who has NBA teams drooling over the prospects of being able to draft him.

So what is an 18-year old to do? Put yourself in the shoes of LeBron James, for a minute. You are poor you live in the projects, and money is being made on you left and right. Now someone offers you free jerseys, would you turn them down? Your mother gets a supped up SUV for you with a loan based on your earning potential, would you turn it down and walk to school? Of course not so why should we expect LeBron James to say no. It is argued that LeBron James can wait until his team's season is over, but no one else is waiting. He has become a media star and the people around him, from his mother to his school to ESPN, are acting like he is a walking ATM machine, banking on being able to be there when he makes it big.

The fact is this yes it is wrong that he got the jerseys, and the Hummer SUV, but is he to blame. No. The truth is LeBron James should have never been put in this situation in the first place. This is just part of the Pandora's Box that was opened when High School Players began being picked overall in the NBA draft. True baseball drafts high school players, but they have to go through a minor league system first. In the NBA its stardom right away, and when a player with as much natural ability as LeBron James shows up its only natural that he would become a National Interests as NBA teams with no hopes of the playoffs all ready has thoughts of LeBron James dancing in their heads.

A player can be selected out of high school you cant go back and ban that now, but you can stop covering him like he is already in the NBA. If LeBron James was not receiving the media attention he has gotten none of this would of ever happened. OHSAA's decision to suspend LeBron James for the rest of the season was short sighted, if they really wanted to solve the problem they would have never allowed ESPN to air their games nationally, or St. Vincent-St. Mary's to play make road trips like the upcoming tournament in Trenton, NJ. They would have let LeBron James play basketball and just be a high school student, instead the created a situation where LeBron has people beating on his door making him offers he can't refuse. True LeBron would not have been hurt even if he was not reinstated by a judge Wednesday, as he would have still been the top pick in the NBA Draft, but it would have robbed him and his team of the state Championship which should be the only thing an 18-year old Hoop star should be thinking about any way.

However, a word of caution must be gained from this LeBron James has to be weary of people out to exploit him and lead him down the wrong path. He must learn the difference between a true friend and someone who is there to use him and his fame to exploit him for his money. He must find some guidance that will keep him ground so he can go into the NBA and become as star, instead of becoming a bust, because he is overwhelmed by his surroundings. He must realize that when he gets there he will have a target on his back. However, if he is able to handle all the exposure he is gotten already he should be fine. However, until the NBA drafts him, leave LeBron James alone, and that goes double for ESPN who must take a look at themselves in the mirror at being the root cause of all this madness.