Why LeBron James Matters

As ESPN.com has incessantly reported and speculated on LeBron James' plans for his impending free agency, I often found myself thinking, Who cares this much? Isn't this a ridiculous level of coverage for the most minute developments? Then, a story in the Times clarified matters, as is often the case.

Alan Feuer reported on Cleveland's attempts to keep its star with the Cavaliers, who have been James' only professional team, including a homespun video of the city's local celebrities singing an adaptation of "We Are The World." In contrast, New York's counterattack to lure him to the world's premier city features a stilted pitch from Bloomberg and a seemingly grassroots campaign that's really orchestrated by a prominent advertising firm and paid for by the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Feuer sniffs that New York's campaign "is only the latest example of the city’s puzzling descent into boosterish antics that are perhaps better suited to less sophisticated towns." Quite the East Coast elitist he is! Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland summarizes things much better, saying, "I understand the skill and talent of the advertising world in New York City. But what we have in Cleveland is genuine, deeply felt love."

That, right there, is why LeBron James' free-agent odyssey matters. It represents something much more profound than an NBA championship (and all the money that brings many people). It embodies the big-city-versus-little-city dilemma that plays itself over and over again as every city tries to attract young people, employers, culture and vitality. The problem remains pressing, about 50 years into our country's industrial decline and economic reshaping, as cities such as Cleveland unceasingly loses population and New York's position continually strengthens. The greatest talents seemingly almost always leave home and can't be coaxed back.

Does James, a native of Akron, Ohio, have to leave his hometown to find true success? Do you need to be in the world's most important city to do something important? Can a fish truly be big in a small pond? Is New York as exciting as it seems, or is there something artificial about it all? Do you prefer the earnestly placid or the frothy hustle? Can you be personally and professionally satisfied in a place that's the first? These days, I answer: No, no, yes, the latter, the former, yes.

Update: What I like most about James' game are his ferocious drives from the top of the key -- when he starts it's as if a truck revving its engine and barreling down the track -- and his pre-game ritual of sending a burst of chalk skyward. The latter shows how much joy James takes from the game, unlike his peer Kobe Bryant, who just won his fifth championship, but is so unlikeable because his demeanor is so cold and business-like. A friend's father compared his behavior to that of a derivatives trader as we watched the finals together.

Further Update: TV Land has a new series featuring four middle-aged (and older) women who move to Cleveland from L.A. Apparently, the stars marvel at how nice the men are. In the Times, TV critic Alessandra Stanley commented the show is "not perhaps the most daring or avant-garde comedy on television, but there is nothing shameful about 'Hot in Cleveland.' It’s actually kind of fun." This evaluation seems tangentially related to the above post.