The Evolution of a King - The Two Men

       
            The light man stands, tears in his eyes, hands in the air. He has conquered the mountain; the one they needed him to climb before he could be accepted. His brothers surround him, and though they have scaled it as well, the moment is his. Kind words are spoken, cheers and boos rain down, and the idol he has lusted for changes hands. He is invited to take it first. He does not hesitate. As he raises the golden sphere towards the sky, he is validated. The condemnation, the second-guessing, the pain: each have been relegated to steps in a process, a process he has now completed. His friends and teammates surround him, patting him on the back and yelling his praises. A smile erupts, maybe the first true one in years. After nine years of captivity, the man whom we treated as beast has been set free.

            The heavy man sits, tears in his eyes, hands together. The nightmare repeats, at least for another year. The seat feels as cold as it always does, and it provides none of the support he requires. His eyes shift uncomfortably as loaded questions and verbal traps are lobbed his way. His expression does not change, his face spills no secrets. He is a statue among men, but only because he must be, because anything else would give them exactly what they want. His friends sit on each side, but neither can protect him. Another year, another misstep. Another eternal summer.

            By the time this article has been finished, one of these scenes will take place. One will completely change the narrative of LeBron James’ career; the other will merely prolong it for another season. This may become a story of redemption, a guide to the trials and tribulations that have lead to LeBron’s first championship ring. It may end up as the preface to another dramatic failure in one of the strangest careers in all of professional sports. But as I write it now, with the NBA Finals tied at one game apiece, I look at it as a series of snapshots that have progressed the career of the most talented and divisive athlete of our time. LeBron James has become the ideal microcosm for the changing landscape in sports and fan hood. He has been built up and torn down as dramatically as any athlete in recent memory, and his career has intersected perfectly with the rise of social media in our culture. The result is a man who is both blessed and cursed by once-in-a-generation talent.

            Two men are positioned front and center; all eyes are pointed towards them. Only one man actually feels them.