King James Acting Like a Prince: LeBron's petulant offseason continues

Have LeBron James and Kobe Bryant swapped places? Prior to the 2009 NBA offseason, the common assumption was that King James was the best, most mature player in basketball, a freakish athlete who also happens to be a superb role model. Prior to the 2009 NBA offseason, Kobe Bryant was viewed by many as an incredibly talented player who also happens to be a selfish jerk. Flash forward a month or so and the tables have turned. Kobe is fresh off his fourth NBA championship, playing in a NBA Finals in which he was more of a team player than boll hog. Bryant's uncharacteristic performance in the Finals went a long way in making people forget about his despicable offseason rants a couple of years ago in which he unleashed an all-out verbal assault via the internet toward his teammate Andrew Bynum. I maintain the belief that Kobe showed his true colors in that online rant, but even a Laker hater and Kobe critic like myself was impressed by his unselfish play in the Finals. Meanwhile, LeBron's reputation continues to take a nosedive. Now, Kobe need not worry about his immature past. Because King James has overtaken the throne when it comes to offseason petulance.

First, there was the incident after Game 6 against the Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals when LeBron refused to shake hands with the Orlando players and refused to talk to the media after his Cavs were eliminated. That did not reflect well on LeBron, but many, including myself, simply chalked it up to the understandable frustration of losing. But the regrettable antics did not stop there. Last month, while shopping in New York City, LeBron was spotted wearing a shirt that read, "LBJ. MVP" in big, bold letters. Once again, LeBron was ripped by the media, criticized for such an unnecessary, boastful display of self-promotion. But those two incidents were nothing compared to what would transpire next. Ladies and gentleman, say hello to our newest sports scandal: Dunkgate.

This past week at LeBron James' basketball camp in Akron, Ohio, King James reached a new low. During a pickup game, Xavier University guard Jordan Crawford finished off a fastbreak by dunking over none other than the King himself. It was a reportedly electrifying moment, undoubtedly the most exciting moment of Crawford's life. Yet don't expect to see any footage of the dunk any time soon, as Nike, apparently at the behest of James, immediately confiscated all evidence of the dunk. After all, LeBron James takes major pride in being the best player in the NBA, and there is no way in hell he was about to let the world see him get dunked on by an unknown college player. What LeBron failed to realize is that by confiscating the tapes, he only makes himself look even worse. By denying the world a chance to see the dunk, LeBron comes across as egotistical, overly self-conscious, and terribly insecure. If LeBron had laughed the incident off and released the video of Crawford's dunk, nobody would have made anything of it. Sure, it would been a great moment for Jordan Crawford and a moment of mild humiliation for LeBron, but the incident would be quickly forgotten. Now, thanks to LeBron's shocking insecurity, Crawford's dunk has got the world talking, and LeBron's lack of maturity is at the forefront of sports discussion.

Okay, maybe I'm being a little too harsh. After all, I still love LeBron. He is the best player in basketball, and I still think he is more mature than he has shown over the past couple of weeks. However, as the offseason progresses, LeBron continues to test my patience. His obsession with reaching global icon status is causing him to make decisions that are counterproductive and downright stupid. LeBron is still the King, but if this unfortunate behavior persists, he will no longer be worthy of the title of royalty.