Stan Van Gundy spoke out about the criticism LeBron James receives, saying much of it stems from constant comparisons to Michael Jordan.
While LeBron James prepares for another season with the Los Angeles Lakers, criticism continues to follow him, especially after opting into his $52.6 million player option.
LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron James
MIN: 35.31
PTS: 24.49 (56.91%)
REB: 7.88
As: 8.04
ST: 1.07
BL: 0.64
TO: 3.64
GM: 75
Former NBA coach Stan Van Gundy believes the negativity aimed at James has deeper roots.
Speaking on Nothing Personal with David Samson, Van Gundy addressed the backlash James often receives, especially the claims that he's selfish for maximizing his earnings.
“LeBron’s gotten a little hate for a long time for a lot of different things,” Van Gundy said. “Whether it was his decision to come to Miami that he announced on TV, whether it was bumping into Erik Spoelstra. Whatever it is, LeBron’s gotten a lot of hate for a guy who’s had the best career of any NBA player, ever.”
Van Gundy praised James’ longevity, consistent excellence, and spotless off-court image.
Credit Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix
He pointed out that despite being a public figure since his teenage years, James has never been involved in serious controversy.
“The most amazing thing to me is, this guy has been a national figure since he’s been in eighth grade, what’s the biggest off-court controversy you’ve got on this guy?” Van Gundy said. “This guy has done nothing except represent the game of basketball and the league well. And yet, there’s this hate for him.”
Van Gundy argued that much of the hate stems from the constant comparison between James and Michael Jordan.
In his view, some fans can't accept the debate about who the greatest of all time is without reacting negatively toward LeBron.
“I think a lot of it was there’s so many people out there who just revered Michael Jordan and the fact that people would question, ‘Is LeBron as good?’ led to a hatred of LeBron instead of an appreciation of what he’s done,” he added. “And I think that’s unfortunate.”
Now 40, James continues to defy age, finishing last season averaging 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.3 rebounds per game.
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