SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports’ Mark Medina discusses the difficult decision players have to pick up on the season and how the teams have reacted to the few who have already given up.
USE TODAY
LeBron James’ legacy is complicated. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar is heralded for her ability on the field in conversation for the greatest player of all time alongside Michael Jordan. He is praised for his off-the-pitch positions against injustice and charity work. Yet James’ resume probably has a flaw.
Nearly a decade ago, James announced that he would bring his talents to South Beach in the ESPN special, “The Decision”. James’ announcement to leave Cleveland Cavaliers hometown in favor of forming a super team with the Miami Heat made him a villain for several years later.
ESPN will air a “Backstory” docuserie on Sunday at 9:00 ET, focusing on the poorly performed television special almost 10 years later. Three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Don Van Natta explores the circumstances that led to one of the most significant moments in James’ career. Learn more about the idea of James or the confidant Maverick Carter. It was more led by ESPN, with a breakthrough background, and remains the most watched studio show in the history of the network with nearly 10 million viewers.
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“It was universally criticized at the time,” Van Natta recently said on ESPN. “It was bad for LeBron. Bad for ESPN. But it was really a revolutionary moment for the way the athletes tell their stories, for LeBron who found his voice and it’s really a fantastic moment for the empowerment of the players. This is the thing that really impressed me about the reporting of this episode. ”
It turns out that the root of the idea came from a reader asking a question about Bill Simmons’ postal bag seven months before the free agency started. Simmons began presenting the idea simultaneously to ESPN and James’ crew. In the end, James had his time on the screen.
“Our new” Backstory “episode explores the improbable way in which” The Decision “was created, the reasons why it was done despite the risks and tensions that come with it behind the scenes,” said Van Natta. “And despite all the criticism received from LeBron James and ESPN, the hour-long show had a far-reaching impact on LeBron and its inner circle, while it started a trend of famous athletes who told their stories through their own media and production companies. LeBron’s experience in “The Decision” was the launching pad for his multi-networked shows and helped him refine his voice on a wide range of important issues beyond the field. basketball. “
James and his team of Carter, Rich Paul and Randy Mims have since become media giants. Last week, they announced their latest venture, SpringHill Co., after raising $ 100 million. They created The Uninterrupted channel, the HBO “The Shop” series, and helped athletes follow suit in guiding their narrative.
“Although many mistakes have been made, he learned from them,” said Van Natta. “Probably, he really found his voice and became, I think, the most outspoken and influential American athlete. Much of this went back to that night in Greenwich, Connecticut 10 years ago.”
The video of the day
In a powerful statement, NWSL players knelt in solidarity to support Black Lives Matter and protest against police brutality and racial injustice.
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Follow the journalist Scott Gleeson on Twitter @ScottMGleeson.
