Lebron James Should Stick to Basketball

I love the sport of basketball.

During my childhood, my brother and I competed against each other in slam dunk competitions with our Nerf Hoop. As I got older, I played a little school ball and then in college, I laced up my shoes to play on a couple of intramural leagues. I love March Madness and was devastated when the tournament was canceled because of Covid. Concerning the NBA, I'm a fan of the 80's and early 90's athletes. Though people vehemently debate the issue, I believe Michael Jordan to be the greatest of all time. However, I loved watching Larry Bird shoot, Dr. J dunk, and Magic Johnson pass the ball. Kareem amazed me with his patented sky hook. Honestly, within the last 20 years, only a couple of players come to my mind that have made lasting impressions...Kobe Bryant and Lebron James. Sadly, Kobe Bryant passed away in a tragic accident in 2020. Lebron James continues to wow fans, when uninjured, but his agent should instruct him to stick to basketball.

In the last few years, professional sports teams have waded into the world of politics. Colin Kaepernick served as the trailblazer. His refusal to stand for the national anthem sparked debate across America between sports fans and non-fans alike. His explanation for his action was simple: to protest racial inequality and the oppression of Black people in America.

Kaepernick had this to say about his protest, "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

In the last four years, several others from the professional sports world have joined in solidarity with Kaepernick, refusing to honor our nation's colors. These quiet acts of protests drew praise from President Obama and disdain from President Trump. Some athletes continue to kneel during the anthem and have also added slogans or organizational letters to their uniforms to raise awareness to their allegiances. I'm all for First Amendment rights, but there's a time and a place.

When I see professional athletes kneel during the National Anthem, I cringe. Kids watch these games and treat these athletes like heroes. Children beg for their uniforms. They buy sports cards hoping to snag a game worn jersey swatch or an autographed card of their favorite players. A few years ago, Gatorade ran a commercial with the key phrase being, "I want to be like Mike." And kids wanted to be like Michael Jordan, as they hope to one day be as great on the court as Kobe or Lebron. NBA Hall-of-Famer Charles Barkley made headlines in 1993 when recording a commercial in which he said, “I'm not a role model. Just because I dunk a basketball doesn't mean I should raise your kids.” Charles makes a good point, but professional athletes have been given a very public stage and serve as examples to our young people whether they want to or not. A couple of days ago, Lebron James set a horrible example for our kids.

On the same day as the Derek Chauvin verdict, a white officer shot and killed an African American teenage girl, saving another African American girl from being stabbed. This police officer saved another young lady from serious injury or death. Lebron James tweeted a picture of the police officer and the words, "You're Next." Whether he meant this officer would end up in jail like Chauvin or this threatened a worse fate, no one but Lebron really knows. However, this does nothing to bring healing to a nation reeling from political division and racial unrest. His nickname on the court might be "King James" but this behavior relegates him to court jester. After many expressed outrage at his social media post, he deleted the message, but failed to apologize. Sadly, because his presence in the NBA brings money in hand over fist, he'll probably get a pass. But imagine the outcome if a commoner like I tweeted a threat against the men and women in blue.

He should be canceled. I mean, isn't that all the rage now? Unfortunately, cancel culture focuses on canceling those with conservative principles and ideals. Those embracing leftist ideologies seldom see any retribution whatsoever. If we want to force these entertainers to showcase their athletic prowess instead of their political views, we need to stop buying their jerseys, cards, and cancel our pay per view sports channels. These athletes have every right to express their political ideologies, but do it on their own time, not when our kids are watching.