“Everybody looking for me to fail” – LeBron James

LeBron is far from his teenage days as a rookie in Cleveland, but some people still want to see him fail.

It was October 29th, 2003, when rookie LeBron James made his highly-anticipated NBA debut in front of thousands of hoops fans at the Arco Arena. The young Cleveland Cavaliers squad was no match against the championship-caliber Sacramento Kings team, and James was well aware of it. However, the Kings faithful still rubbed it in his face throughout the entire 48 minutes.

The game was over. The Cavs lost to the Kings 106-92, but years later, LeBron, who logged 25 points, six rebounds, and nine assists, still remembers how disheartening it was to play on basketball’s biggest stage for the first time.

“I was so nervous. I had just watched Sacramento the last two or three years in the WCF versus the (Los Angeles) Lakers,” James said on the “Road Trippin'” podcast in 2017 via Cavaliers Nation. “They got those cowbells in the stands going crazy. Everybody looking for me to fail. That was so much [pressure]. It was too much.”

“Everybody looking for me to fail” – LeBron James

As a highly-touted newcomer and the No. 1 draft pick that year, James’ NBA debut gained traction in viewership. Even then-Kings owner Joe Maloof recognized the hype for the Kid from Akron during that game.

“The biggest regular-season game we’ve ever had here,” Maloof told the Cleveland Plain Dealer via History. “[LeBron] is a breath of fresh air.

James’ maiden NBA game wasn’t iconic. But little did everyone know, he was out to prove that he was a once-in-a-generation talent. Four years since his debut, LeBron, at 22 years old, led the Cavs to the NBA Finals. In his ninth season in the league, James finally won his first NBA championship with the Miami Heat and made it back-to-back the following season. He also gave Cleveland a championship in his second stint with the team and led the Los Angeles Lakers to the franchise’s 17th banner.

READ MORE Dennis Rodman Once Used His $5 Million To Get Under Stephen Curry’s Dad, Forced Him to…

Throughout his career, “King James” constantly lived up to the hype of his name. Of course, he is now way better than the nervous teenager who played against the Kings in that season-opener at the Arco Arena, as he is a living personification of what basketball greatness is all about.

But for some reason, some people are still not convinced.

“I’ve never seen so many people be so happy to see an athlete fail more than LeBron,” Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards once said. “His whole career he’s been hated on constantly and slandered to no end to the point where when he retires nobody would have appreciated his greatness. I will be glad I will be one who did.”

Dennis Rodman Once Used His $5 Million To Get Under Stephen Curry’s Dad, Forced Him to…

Back in 1998, Chicago Bulls legend Dennis Rodman was on a contract that earned him around $4,900,000. In addition to that, he also had clauses for incentives worth around $5,950,000, forcing him to keep his discipline in check. Rodman was expected to turn the “other cheek” and not get thrown out of games to earn the incentives. However, being the player he was, Rodman would continue to find ways to get under his opponents’ skins without getting into trouble. One of his victims was Dell Curry, according to Sports Illustrated.

The incentive was seen by the Bulls as a last-ditch attempt to keep Rodman in check. One of the best defenders and rebounders the NBA ever saw, Rodman was a huge asset on the court. However, off it, he was a party animal and had consistent issues with his discipline.

The Chicago Bulls wanted Rodman to not be thrown out of games. The player had been asked to turn the other cheek during games, something he was terrible at.

Dennis Rodman Once Used His $5 Million To Get Under Stephen Curry’s Dad, Forced Him to…

However, despite Rodman wanting the $5,950,000 incentives, he would still actively look for ways to get under his opponent’s skin. One such incident happened during a game against the Charlotte Hornets during the Eastern Conference Finals.

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During the fourth quarter, Rodman followed Dell Curry towards the sideline, who was trying to retrieve a ball. He slithered over Curry’s shoulder, went tumbling along with him into the Hornets’ bench, and then knocked the ball out of bounds.

While it was clear that the incident was Rodman’s doing, it was Dell Curry who got ejected after complaining to the referee:

“As much in frustration as a grievance, Curry protested to referee Danny Crawford that Rodman should have been whistled for a foul. Crawford hit Curry with a technical, his second of the game. Curry, not Rodman, was gone.”

LeBron James and Wife Savannah James Leaves Fans in Awe

LeBron James needs no introduction to Hollywood. The NBA Superstar has acted extensively in fan-favorite movie “Space Jam – A New Legacy” as himself to a more than good reception by movie critics. James has even made a cameo in the 2015 romantic comedy “Trainwreck” showing off his versatility as an actor. Now James has produced the film “Shooting Stars” a film adaptation of James’ and Buzz Bisinger’s book of the same name

James and his wife Savannah were spotted at the premiere of “Shooting Stars” looking absolutely stunning. Fans on Twitter poured in their comments on a tweet posted by GQ, praising the star and his wife for their model appearance in the media with user @12Colombiano59 rightly saying “Talk about relationship goals.”

LeBron James and Wife Savannah James Leaves Fans in Awe

.@KingJames and Savannah James at the #ShootingStars premiere pic.twitter.com/fdLLvzZMSD

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— GQ Sports (@GQSports) June 1, 2023

Although James and his wife Savannah seem to have a stable and mostly positive image in the media now, they have not gone without their share of media backlash and accusations. James has never had concrete evidence backing the many accusations of him cheating on Savannah and therefore they have remained a strong couple throughout the years.

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It goes without saying that a star with the stature of LeBron James will have every aspect of his life put on a microscope, so false accusations are expected to be in the plenty.