He has more money than most small towns can spend in a generation. He is called the King and has almost unanimously been considered the best player in basketball for nearly a decade and a half. He has 3 championships, guaranteed to have his own shrine in the Hall of Fame, has lifetime endorsement deals, a production company and a net worth estimated at over $450 million dollars but it’s not enough. He wants us all to be LeBron James, be our own man, take control of our own lives…by being more like LeBron.
It reminds me of Steve Jobs and his ridiculous notion that we should all dropout of college, take calligraphy and become CEO of a world beating corporation. Ya, Steve, honestly man, that doesn’t work for everybody. I partied, rocked my world and stuck it to the man but ended up selling paper in a paperless age. It turned out I was not Steve Jobs, as most basketball players are not LeBron James..
After a couple of decades of being yelled at and told how, where, why, when and what to do by his mindless human megaphone of a father, after a bizarre thought process that led to starting a shoe company to create cheap, knockoff kicks that were outrageously priced and caused Lonzo at least one significant injury, LeBron is stoked that Lonzo is leaving the brand he owns 51% of and becoming his own man, man. Maybe he’ll join my shoe company – Nike – and I’ll like him more, sez LeBron. Maybe even like him enough not to watch his butt shipped out of Los Angeles for someone who can make LeBron look better. Or not, depends on the stiff they find to play right hand man for the King. Just remember what most men do with their right hands.
Well, I’ve got some advice for you Lonzo. You need to understand that everything LeBron has done has been first, foremost and only for the betterment and greater glory of LeBron. And it’s been done the way it has been done and could only be done this way because of the singular, once in a generation talent that is LeBron James. And that’s the way it will continue. When LeBron says ‘be your own man,’ what he’s really saying is ‘be your own man for me.’ Come on LeBron, you made the choice to go to LA for business reasons, not basketball reasons. You don’t need to take young, impressionable youths down with you.
Know him Lonzo and know what makes you special and unique is very different that your legendary team mate. It doesn’t matter what you do. It’s not personal, it’s just that you’ re too young to be able to provide what LBJ needs now. So, focus on you and not him. Be the best Lonzo you can be. Of course you’re going to be your own man, LeBron doesn’t have to declare it. He makes it sound like everyone except him is a puppet unless they drop what they’re doing and follow him in lock step. Maybe it’s true the more you get, the more you want.
Just know Lonzo, you’re already your own man. Make your own decisions for the right reasons.