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WILL LEBRON JAMES PLAY IN EUROPE?
While team USA collectively scratched, clawed, and hustled their way to yet another victory in China against a solid competitor, Greece, one man continued to stand out above the rest. His on the court performance draws cheers from the crowd nearly every time he has the ball in his hands. There is a reason for this incredible level of awe and support – his name is LeBron James. He is a household name not only in Beijing, but also in every other country that possesses a television set or an internet connection. All this to say -- King James reign extends far beyond Akron, Ohio. In fact his overwhelming size, strength, versatility, and confidence have led to speculation of a possible future in Europe. Yes, you heard me correctly; the king of the NBA would consider leaving the best league in the world to lace up the sneakers for some obscure European squad. “Why,” you might ask yourself. Put simply, 2 years and 100 million plus more international exposure equals a big temptation. Don’t get me wrong; this is all hypothetical and has not been officially offered. However, if the deal was on the table, and it is possible, Cleveland fans, no the NBA, no the United States would be absolutely devastated. {Article Continued Below}
Let’s face it; Josh Childress and a few role players leave for Europe and it is on the front page of ESPN and every other sports website. Now take that reaction and multiply it by one hundred. Get the picture? So, this raises the question of what can be done to prevent this type of league-shaking tragedy from becoming a reality. At this point there really is no major preventative action that can be taken by David Stern and the men in suits running the show. This could be resolved by abolishing the NBA salary cap and the structure of legal contracts, but this would have to wait ‘til the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement. This approach would cause all kinds of problems that I don’t even want to try to explain. Just picture the NBA’s version of the Yankees. Here’s to hoping and praying for my own enjoyment and that of America that James is not offered a ridiculous contract to play in Europe, because, chances are that he would see the bait and bite. It would play perfectly into his plan of becoming a billionaire athlete and international superstar. Yet the number of fans that he would inevitably lose in the U.S. in the process would be almost as big as the contract it would take for him to runaway from the league that has made him a star. Thank goodness the Cavaliers finally made a decent trade and upgraded the roster. I am certain that the acquisition of Mo Williams will aid LeBron in his quest for his first NBA championship. What do you think? Do you believe he’d go for 100 million, and what kind of reaction would occur?
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