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Steve Kerr has always shown love to LeBron James over the years despite the two facing off in the NBA Finals for four consecutive seasons. Although they have been adversaries at the highest stage, the Golden State Warriors coach acknowledges James' greatness.
Kerr recently lauded King James for his controversial move to the Miami Heat in the 2010 offseason. The reigning two-time MVP made a decision in free agency in his own right and changed the course of the NBA forever. Kerr said:
"He changed the whole dynamic of the relationship between players and ownership and management in the league. And I think he deserves great credit for that, because that took a lot of guts, it took a lot of courage. He got crushed when he made that move."
Kerr's comments were covered on "The Book of Basketball 2.0," Bill Simmons' podcast on The Ringer's network. The podcast started a segment called "Icons Club," where the league's history is discussed. In the eighth episode, titled "Modern Icons," they discussed certain current superstar icons who have changed the game. They emphasized four players: Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo and James.
"The Decision" has been well-documented as an event that changed NBA history. The entire idea of free agency and player empowerment kicked off after James chose to leave his home-state team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. The relationships owners have with their players and players have with the front office is wildly different today than it was before 2010.
James gave players the power to make their own decisions and not be stuck with a team, franchise or city. It limited the control teams had over players, and it sparked a revolution in the sports world. Free agency became a more important topic of discussion in news cycles, and the concept of super teams was more common as players could create their own.
It also gave the superstars the power to dictate their team's roster and signings. They can pick and choose their teammates and act as de facto general managers.
However, as mentioned by Kerr, it took a lot of courage to pull off that move in 2010. Nobody expected it, and James faced major backlash for his actions. Cavaliers fans burned his jerseys in Ohio, and batteries were thrown at James when he visited Cleveland for the first time after joining the Heat.
Kevin Love joins Steve Kerr and complements LeBron James for his decision to join the Miami Heat
LeBron James' decision to join the Miami Heat wasn't all about forming a super team and grabbing championships. It was a move that led to player empowerment and freedom of choice in the offseason. Kevin Love, James' former teammate and friend, agreed with Warriors coach Steve Kerr and credited LeBron for making the tough decision. He said:
"He almost allowed the guys within our league, uplifted them and gave them freedom to kind of pick where they wanted to go."
James is known for a lot of things in basketball, but one of the things he doesn't get credit for is giving players the ability to dictate their future in the league.
Guess the Lakers players!
