COLUMN: Why LeBron James should act as classy as Tim Duncan
Poor LeBron. He’s in his ninth season, still has zero championships and keeps on talking. He should just shut his mouth and win a championship.
On Friday, ESPN.com reported the following quote from LeBron James: “I’m an easy target; if someone wants to get a point across — just throw LeBron’s name in there,” James said. “You could be watching cartoons with your kids, and you don’t like it, you say, ‘Blame it on LeBron.’ If you go to the grocery store, and they don’t have the milk that you like, you just say, ‘It’s Lebron’s fault.”
Really? I’ll remember that next time I’m at Macey’s or watching “Scooby-Doo.”
Is this really King James? The same player with the infamous commercials that said we were “witnesses”? Or maybe the player that was quoted as saying after the 2011 NBA Finals defeat, “At the end of the day, all the people that were rooting for me to fail, they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today. They have the same personal problems they had today. I’m going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things that I want to do with me and my family and be happy with that.”
Quotes like these really make you appreciate the players that come in and get the job done quietly and efficiently. They don’t need to be the king or the villain; they just win.
One quick look at the NBA Midwest standings and you’ll see the San Antonio Spurs in first place, once again. It’s nothing new, they’ve won their division eight times since 1997, and their lowest finish in that same period was an unimaginable second. Behind all that success has been one player — Tim Duncan.
I send my apologies as well to Suns fans that must have infinitely more anger toward Duncan and the Spurs than I do. Just know it builds character.
I’m going to set aside the anger I have harbored toward Duncan for his constant dominance against the Jazz and appreciate what a pleasure it has been to watch him throughout his career.
For starters, Duncan got his first championship ring in his second season and had four NBA titles after just 10 seasons. Besides the Lakers, the first decade of the 21st century was dominated by Duncan and the Spurs. He led his team to three titles in that span, two Western Conference Finals appearances and only twice didn’t get past the first round of the playoffs.
In his 14 seasons, the star from the Virgin Islands has played in 13 All-Star games — the only exclusion being this year. In his career, he’s averaged almost three assists per-game and a double-double every year except the last two. His post-season statistics are almost a mirror-image of his regular-season numbers. He’s averaged a double-double all but three seasons and 3.4 assists per game. He gets the job done in the regular and post-seasons.
Consider how all his success and dominance has come in the star-heavy Western Conference. He’s had to battle the best big men the league has to offer, and he’s done it masterfully.
Duncan’s success has come down to his simple approach to the game. He works hard, he’s a great teammate, he’s good with the media, he’s a master of the fundamentals, and he’s a winner.
His career may be coming to its end, but his legacy will continue to live on. In a league with too many talkers and too little doers, Duncan has talked a little and done a lot. Others, like LeBron, should do the same.
Hats off to Mr. Duncan, one of the greatest players the game of basketball has or ever will see.
– Spencer Wright is a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism. He supports Manchester United and hopes to live long enough to watch the Cubs win a World Series. Send any comments to eliason.wright3@aggiemail.usu.edu.