The Decision dominated the headlines in 2010 when LeBron James chose the Miami Heat as his next team. It was not only impactful to his legacy, but it was also influential for every NBA player who made major decisions.
LeBron James is arguably the greatest player in NBA history. He already has a rich legacy on the court, but he was also influential with his decisions off the court.
The biggest one has to be The Decision, which was an infamous TV special in the summer of 2010. It involved James publicly announcing his decision to sign with the Miami Heat amidst interest from multiple teams to sign him.
Los Angeles Clippers head coach and James’ former head coach in his second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Ty Lue, spoke about James’ impact.
James is one of the most influential figures in NBA history
James’ decision to join the Heat was one of the biggest decisions in NBA history. He was struggling to compete for a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers, so it was fair to leave.
Unfortunately, Cavaliers fans did not like his decision, so they even burned his jersey. Going to Miami was the right decision for his resume. James won two championships with the Heat, although some people felt he was ‘cheating’.
The Cavs planted the seeds for getting James back. He returned to his home state of Ohio to lead the Cavaliers to their first-ever NBA championship. That was redemption for James, but he also proved that he could take control of his career and be successful.
James’ championship coach, Ty Lue, believes that James’ decision was more important than people realize.
“He’s changed the game. He made it, so these guys can go to whatever team they want to go,” Lue said on Club Shay Shay.
“He took the first step. He took all the heat to get to this point. Now, you see everybody doing it. He paved the way.”
James has secured an everlasting NBA legacy
Over his career, which spans more than two decades, James has cemented himself as an all-time great. He even has a legacy that rivals that of Michael Jordan, who is considered the greatest of all time.
James is good enough to be on Jordan’s level, which is a unique distinction. He still has more time to add to his never-ending legacy as an all-time great.
Not only was James a fantastic player on the court, but he was also influential off it. Taking autonomy over one’s career is huge for players nowadays, but that might not have happened without James’ trailblazing approach.
Kevin Durant left for the Golden State Warriors, but he might have stayed with the Oklahoma City Thunder if James had not left Cleveland.
This legacy will stand the test of time, and James will continue to be one of the most iconic players in NBA history. Lue made good points about James’ legacy because he has many iconic moments. That includes The Decision and the chase-down block in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals.
