What’s left to be said about LeBron James that hasn’t been said? The past few days, I’ve been posting my thoughts and reactions @whudat but I’ll summarize: King James gave up his crown. Last night’s one hour special confirmed that LeBron James is not made of the same competitive stuff that fueled Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and certainly not, Kobe Bryant. It ended that debate. Who is currently the best NBA player in basketball? It’s Kobe Bryant. It’s also his crown; Lebron needs to to ship that Fed Ex, asap.

The Evolutionary Process

There is a reason why only a few franchises have consistently won championships; it’s hard work. To win a the highest levels, the focus and intensity it takes for a player to lead his team to that fantasized destination, is a long hard slog.  Yes, LeBron James gave seven years of his basketball life to the Cavaliers to no avail. But Michael Jordan, his supposed idol, had the same kind of dissapointments. While Jordan was busy racking up MVPs and scoring titles, for three consecutive years, during the playoffs, the Chicago Bulls were kicked and shoved around by the Detroit Pistons. It wasn’t until their core players got better, that the team figured out how to beat them. It was all highlight reels and trophies, from then on.

LeBron James says he won’t make his free agency decision until Thursday. That’s the day after his Nike Skills Academy basketball camp in Akron, Ohio concludes. LeBron James was supposed to attend the camp on Tuesday, but ESPN is reporting that he made a surprise appearance this afternoon, wearing,  get this, a NY Yankees cap and a white t-shirt! *Note* That is NOT the picture from this afternoon’s camp.

But it was captured in the quick blur of this video..

Tonight at Madison Square Garden, 60 childhood dreams will be realized at the 2010 NBA draft. For a minute, let’s put aside the chance they have to play basketball on a professional level, and talk about the twin benefit: someone is about to get paid! Financially, becoming a professional athlete forever changes the lifestyle of a few, and gives a brief glimpse of an ‘upgraded’ lifestyle to others. Yes, it could brief. If you don’t manage your money, it will find a home in all kinds of unproductive places: extended family and entourage support, bad investments - both personal and Madoff. It’s not called the NBA lottery for nothing, it’s just like hitting one, with the exact same concerns.

On Saturday, March 20, Serena Williams and Selita Ebanks were guests at Telemundo’s annual Women of Tomorrow bash. The Women of Tomorrow is a program that encourages young at-risk women to live up to their full potential.

By now, it’s likely you’ve heard the ins and outs of this story. Twitter version: Shaq’s wife Shaunie is about to slice half. Let me fill some gaps. After separating in 2007, early this year, Shaq and Shaunie reconciled. Shaq looked happy. Shaunie seemed content. Late last week that glow of love was blown away when a leaked email exchange between Shaq and Gilbert Arenas’s fiance and mother of his three kids, Laura Govan, hit the internet.

Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian were married over the weekend.. or were they? Word is it was a staged ceremony for the new season debut of Keeping Up with the Kardashians airing in December. Family members deny Khloe is pregnant. The official line is Lamar and Khloe are in love and wanted to settle down asap. Lamar Odom fast tracked the wedding before NBA training camp starts in a few weeks.

So where is the staging? It’s said the E! channel told Lamar and Khloe they would pay for the million dollar wedding if they held it this past Sunday. If you thought it was crazy Lamar Odom would decide, after a month, he met his happily ever after chick, you’ll be happy to know he wanted a prenup just in case he wakes up from his Hangover.

This morning, Serena Williams and Kanye West are both at the top of the news for losing their cool in big moments. Let’s talk Serena Williams here. On Saturday, she participated in the U.S. Open semi-final against Kim Clijsters. When serving during a potential match set, Serena Williams was called for a double fault. After both calls, Serena yelled at the female line judge and shook her racket in her direction. Saying, “I swear to God, I’m fuckin’ takin’ this ball and shovin’ it down your fuckin’ throat… I swear to God.” 

Because of an earlier warning for breaking her racket in frustration, Serena Williams was given a point penalty which cost her the match.

When the NBA season begins there will be a lot of new faces in 28 spaces. One we haven’t seen on a regular basis is the Houston Rocket’s shooting guard Tracy McGrady. Tracy is engaged in a furious rehabilitation program to prove to his critics and fans that he can and will put up 30 points a night when he returns. With that kind of prediction someone might need to print up a third Superman t-shirt; although it might not be necessary. Tracy McGrady has a super cause of his own. This season he changed his number from 1 to 3 to bring attention to refugees in Darfur; he met them on a trip to the region and a one hour film called 3 Points was released on September 1st to share his experience.

Over the years, I’ve been writing off and on about Darfur, 3 Points really hits home on a deep level, as it’s filmed from a perspective that must of would have. We see Tracy McGrady not sure about what to expect, nervous about the food, wondering about security, and desperate for bug repellent. When he finally gets to the camp and meets the refugees, McGrady immediately thinks a soccer field or a swimming pool is what they need. He finds their needs are much richer.

When Lebron James walked off the court after the Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Orlando Magic in last season’s Eastern Conference finals, it was thought to be an in the moment reaction; something he wouldn’t do again. Clicking through ESPN today, I see he’s saying otherwise. While in Chicago, on August 11, to promote his movie “More Than a Game,” Lebron defended his reaction, saying no one shakes hands after a loss.

“As far as shaking hands, it’s something that is not done in the NBA. If it was something like tennis, after tennis, you play, you win, you lose, you go to the center and shake hands, it happens every game in tennis.”

If you are not watching Stephon Marbury destroy what’s left of his career, really what are you doing? Short story shorter: yesterday afternoon, Stephon Marbury popped up on Justin.tv, shirtless and mouthing off about everything on his dome.
When he’s not talking, he plays random songs as he drifts into radio DJ mode, “Ladies if you want to hear Drake, press 1.” At one point he broke down and started crying. When he went to sleep, he kept the cam running, like a bedtime Truman Show cam.