Year 20 LeBron Is Still Out Here Doing Incredible Shit And All Anyone Wants To Do Is Criticize Him

Matt Fitzgerald2/24/2023 2:30 PM

This seemed like the perfect time to post a positive blog about LeBron James, because the thing that everyone will immediately jump to is, "DUDE YOU'RE A FUCKING IDIOT, HE WAS 5-FOR-20 FROM THE FIELD AND SCORED 13 POINTS!"

And that kind of sums up how so many people like to contextualize LeBron's career. They can't appreciate that he's one of the three greatest players ever and it's not even up for debate. It has to be shitting on him on behalf of Michael Jordan, or questioning the legitimacy of his accomplishments because of the era he plays in. Or taking issue with his occasional pleading for calls, which, come on, all superstars engage in that garbage from time to time.

Why appreciate the fact that LeBron also had nine boards, eight assists and helped draw attention to free up many Lakers for clean shots to the point where eight dudes scored in double figures in Thursday's 124-111 win over the Steph Curry-less Warriors? Why bother cherishing a Mt. Rushmore NBA player in his 20th season doing ridiculous things like this:

LeBron even went out of his way to be a good samaritan!

All you people want to do is defecate on this man and his legacy.

Giphy Images.

By "you people", I mean fellow Barstool bloggers and much of the basketball-loving public at large. I should start by saying I hold no ill will toward any of my blogging peers, nor am I seeking to start some sort of workplace spat. Anyway, I was digging back through the Barstool Sports blog archives in search of anything that favorably portrays LeBron. The only even neutral-toned post in recent history came when he broke the all-time scoring record.

"LONGEVITY RECORD. MEANS NOTHING."

I guess it would mean nothing if LeBron wasn't blasted for his entire career for being too willing and elite of a passer. LOL. The goalposts have moved for this guy's career than any athlete I've ever seen. It's fucking unbelievable and bafflingly stupid.

Look at the key words in these recent Barstool headlines, though: All-Time Lie Over All-Star Weekend; Throwing Westbrook Under The Bus; Being A Billionaire Sucks (implied lack of gratitude/out of touch with reality); Threw A Temper Tantrum; Does Not Have An All-Time Top 10 Plays List; Surprise Surprise LeBron Got Pissed Off At A Heckler; The True King […] Michael Jordan.

Tell me: If anyone other than LeBron had won an NBA championship in the 2020 bubble, would its merits be questioned? The answer is no. Does any other player get put on blast for NBA Finals losses more than LeBron? Even though by making it all the way there in each of those demoralizing defeats, he'd already achieved more than fellow legends did in other seasons when they got bounced a series or two before?

Make it make sense.

It's in vogue to hate on LeBron as always. I'm just surprised our bloggers don't produce more, um, positive stuff about this guy. Like what did LeBron ever do to y'all? The disrespect is staggering to me. I personally don't get it.

Whatever. Looks like the Lakers are hitting their stride after their active NBA trade deadline.

They actually have shooters and depth surrounding LeBron to the point where he doesn't necessarily need to score 30 a night like he has all season. By the way, if he's an overrated scorer and is a pass-first guy as is and therefore is an unworthy scoring champion, how is it that The King is hanging 30 on fools almost every night in Year 20?

Just saying. Perhaps it's time to show LeBron a liiiiiiiittle more love. Would it kill y'all?