LeBron James has changed the course of the NBA over his 22-year career. His size, stature, and unique skillset altered the public’s perception of what a small forward can do on the court; his free agent decisions proved highly-influential and largely successful; and he broke records that few expected would be broken. There is little doubt that James has left an indelible mark on basketball.
But James has also been the subject of significant criticism throughout his career, and as he prepares to wind down that career in the coming years, many in and around the NBA are wondering what the league’s landscape will look like when The King steps away from the game. One former #1 overall draft pick is convinced that James neglected his responsibilities in this sense, as he fired off an explosive take.
LeBron slammed by a former top pick for leaving the NBA worse than he found it
As wildfires rage around the Los Angeles area and threaten thousands upon thousands of lives in one of America‘s largest cities, former NBA big man Kwame Brown has entered the chat by bringing to light what others have suspected: that James’ NBA departure will trigger a crisis of marketable star power in the league.
“I believe LeBron James is going to lead the game worse than he found it,” Brown said in a YouTube video. “He doesn’t have any accountability for how he has impacted the game. And a lot of the things, he admitted it, he said the quiet part out loud.”
James, who holds the NBA records for points scored and minutes played in a career, is a four-time NBA champion, having won the Finals with each of his three teams. But he was criticized sharply for his actions during the 2020 “bubble”, when James discouraged potential strike action from occurring so he could pursue a championship with the Lakers.
Still, few doubt James’ influence, as well as his dedication and discipline to improving constantly. At 40 years old, James is the Lakers’ second-leading scorer and their top playmaker with nearly nine assists per game. However, amidst the ongoing fires around LA, few know when the Lakers’ next game will take place.
