LeBron James chose the iconic No.23 in hopes emulating his idol, Michael Jordan, and had a tattoo engraved on his back which read ‘The Chosen One’.
But it seems LeBron’s quest to imitate and eventually surpass his teen hero would be vanquished forever if the Cleveland Cavaliers succumb to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.
A prodigy who took America by storm with his mind-boggling performances as an 18-year-old in high school, James was bestowed the honor of being the next Michael Jordan – how the mighty have fallen, eh?
Although both Jordan and James struggled early through their careers, it was their never-say-die attitude that, when amalgamated with their unwavering desire to be the best at what they do, propelled them to heights unparalled in basketball.
Despite suffering heartbreaking losses in the 1988, 1989 and 1990 Eastern Conference Finals to the ‘Bad Boys’ Detroit Pistons, Jordan’s self-belief never floundered.
Likewise, James had to endure being swept by the mighty and well-oiled San Antonio Spurs juggernaut in the 2007 Finals, to go along with his team’s self-obliteration at the hands of the unfancied Orlando Magic in the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals.
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But where Jordan went on to sit atop of the NBA pedestal on six different occasions – never failing to return empty handed upon reaching the Finals – LeBron has had to endure a bittersweet ride during the course of his eight (and counting) trips to the NBA’s championship round.
Given a pass in 2007 and 2014 for not having a competitive enough roster to compete against the Spurs, his meltdown in 2011 against the unlikely Dallas Mavericks, when James turned from the ‘Chosen One’ to the ‘Frozen One’, is a dark chapter he will have attached to his portfolio forever.
It was only wins in 2012 and 2013, against the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio, that have garnered James some respite for failing to deliver in the clutch.
Fast forward to 2016, and James delivered arguably the most befitting reply to his naysayers by coming back from a 3-1 deficit (never accomplished in the NBA Finals before) to win his third NBA championship. This against a Golden State Warriors team that had compiled the greatest single NBA season in history.
Now, a year later, James finds himself staring down the barrel of another Finals loss, with his Cavaliers down 3-1 to a much revamped Warriors. LeBron put in a Herculean effort to deny the Warriors last year, but this year, with the addition of Kevin Durant, they seem like bloodhounds. Despite being effective on both ends of the floor, James has struggled during the closing moments of games – a narrative all too well known to his critics.
A series loss will put James’ career Finals record at 3-5, which pales in comparison to the 6-0 record Jordan accomplished, making comparisons to the legendary Bull a bridge too far – even for a player of James’ stature.
By the time James hangs up his boots, he might have more Finals losses than Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
His only chance of redemption? Defeat these Warriors, after being down 3-0, and the ghost of Chicago might well be in the Ohio native’s rear mirror.
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