We?re going to start this off the way the original story from Jason Whitlock at Fox Sports.com should have, and that?s by stating the obvious: It?s extremely unlikely LeBron James would seek the presidency of the players union now, or at any time while still in the prime of his NBA career.
In fact, here?s the most relevant quote from the story, which in all honesty should have been the opening paragraph of the piece instead of the fifth.
The source close to James cautioned that he thinks it?s ?unlikely? James will decide to seek the presidency.
Now that we?ve gotten that out of the way, we can discuss the rest.
James is passionate about union matters, and has an interest in steering the league?s business in a direction that will not only benefit this generation of NBA players, but future generations, as well. He was a leader in the mid-season union meeting and a strong voice during the lockout. With the National Basketball Players Association in a state of transition, the thinking is that now may be the time to get involved in an official capacity.
?It?s something he has talked about with a small group of people,? a source with close ties to James told FOXSports.com on Wednesday. ?He was very vocal at the meeting during the All-Star Weekend about the need for the union to dramatically change. There is a new executive director coming in and new commissioner. He recognizes that this is the time for the union to change.?
It?s been over a decade since an All-Star caliber player was the union president, when Patrick Ewing held the post from 1997-2001. But those were years 14, 15, and 16 of Ewing?s 17 in the league ? he was far beyond his prime, and demands on his time had dipped considerably.
This is the core issue, and the reason someone like James could never successfully handle the duties of union president while flourishing as the game?s best player simultaneously. In addition to his teams regularly playing into June each season, LeBron?s schedule is packed with other engagements representing the league, as well as personal endorsement deals that require various trips and appearances.
There?s a reason guys like Derek Fisher and Maurice Evans were so prominently involved in union issues recently, with Jerry Stackhouse handling things so far this offseason. To put it bluntly, they don?t have a whole lot going on outside of their regular team responsibilities, which are fairly limited at this late stage of their respective careers.
It?s great to see that James is looking out for his co-workers in this way, and that he truly has an interest in creating a legacy that will last beyond the game itself. Just don?t expect him to hold the title of president, or be involved in any other official capacity until his playing career is close to being finished.
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