02-18-2008, 03:21 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Star
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Las Vegas, Nv
Posts: 4,090
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Cool lebron article on espn
Quote:
But it turned out that LeBron was the star of the show. Even amid the veterans Kidd, Nowitzki and Steve Nash, LeBron was the center of attention. Kidd asked Nash if he played much golf lately. Nash invited Kidd to play soccer with him. Nowitzki asked Nash how fun it's been to have Shaq in Phoenix. But it kept coming back to LeBron. It wasn't that he constantly talked about himself. He just drove the conversation, asking questions, setting the agenda.
When I got on the bus he was seeking advice from Kidd on how to be a better free-throw shooter. Kidd told him to keep just one thought in his head.
"When you're going to dunk the ball, what are you thinking?" Kidd asked.
"I'm thinking, 'I'm going to tear the f------ rim off," James said.
Kidd said James needed a similar, singular, positive thought in mind at the free-throw line.
On the ride back, when James asked Kidd what number Kidd would wear in Dallas (prompting Nowitzki's head to pop up three rows away) Kidd joyfully speculated. Since his current No. 5 belongs to Josh Howard and the 32 he wore in Phoenix is worn by Brandon Bass (whom everyone agreed is too big and strong for Kidd to punk for his jersey), Kidd said he'd go for No. 14. One plus four equals five. It also would be the reverse of Nowitzki's 41. Then LeBron demonstrated a surprising bit of knowledge. Isn't 14 Dirk's number on the German national team, he asked Nowitzki. Dirk confirmed it was. How many Americans knew that?
I feel like I got to understand LeBron a little more this weekend. Even though I've been around him at least a dozen times, from locker rooms to parties at the ESPYS, he's never opened up to me much. So this time I observed.
I saw him on the way out of the arena Sunday night. He had finished all of his interviews, changed back into his street clothes and was clutching his All-Star Game MVP award. I liked the fact that he carried it himself instead of doling it off to some assistant to haul. His peeps were waiting for him in the lobby, and he greeted each one -- male and female -- with a customized, multistage handshake.
With Kobe Bryant limited to a token appearance because of his finger injury, I had worried that there wouldn't be anyone to set a standard of effort. James was one of the main people who assumed that responsibility. And you know Kobe was jealous as he watched LeBron take over the game while Bryant sat helplessly on the sideline. Even though LeBron always praises Kobe, you can tell there's a healthy rivalry there. God, I hope Kobe and LeBron meet in the Finals sometime in the next three years.
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Pretty cool.
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