Yep, I'm a Hypocrite

I like one, but not the other.  Both family men.  Both married with kids.  Both without scandal, controversy or off the court problems.  Both at the top of their games.  Love one, can't stand the other.  Yep, I'm a hypocrite. I like Steph Curry.  I love Steph Curry.  I can't stand LeBron James.  I really don't like LeBron James.  I was trying to figure out why.  They both work hard.  They both make their respective teams better.  They both have been league MVP.  Both have won championships.  By all accounts they both seem to be good people.

Here's why, I think.  LeBron was "the chosen one."  He was hyped when he was in high school.  A man among boys if you will.  The fanfare, the admiration, the constant buzz...everyone knew he would go straight to the League, which he did.  He basically made an impact immediately.  Rookie of the Year.  NBA All Star team permanent resident.  Endorsement deals from the start.  So much hype.  Too much hype.  Too much love and admiration.  Too much LeBron.  You know how you hear so much about someone that you don't like them before you even meet them, or know much about them?  That's LeBron.  LeBron has been in the League thirteen seasons, from 2003-2016.  The first seven in Cleveland.  He led Cleveland to the Finals in 2007, his fourth year in the league. Won some games.  Did his thing.  Then there was "The Decision" in 2010.  The interview where LeBron told the world that he was "taking his talents to South Beach," to Miami.  Puke.  So much hype.  Too much hype.  Too much love and admiration.  Too much ego.  Too much, too much.  Then there was the show.  The stage.  LeBron, Wade and Bosh.  All on that stage.  Talking about all the championships they were gonna win.  Not one.  Not two. Not three.  Not four.  Not...who cares.  They won two.  But LeBron learned something new in Miami.  He learned to flop.  He learned acting.  He learned to whine.  He learned to complain.  About everything!  If someone breathed on him wrong he wanted a foul.  If he was called for a foul, he didn't do it.  He learned that scowl he would have on his face, you the one that looks as if he is crying all the time.  Yes, you know the one.  He became arrogant.  The ego.  Don't disrespect LeBron.  First it was the Pacers and Paul George.  Then Lance Stephenson.  Don't show "The King" any disrespect.  LeBron won two championships with Wade, Bosh and the rest of his cast in Miami.  All the while he was touted as the greatest player to ever play the game.  Above Bird.  Above Magic.  Above Jordan.  Above Kobe, Shaq, Wilt, Oscar.  Too much hype.  I couldn't stand it.  My dislike for LeBron grew almost to a hatred level.  My own son loved him.  The arguments we had.  My argument was always he may be the greatest athlete to play, but he's not the greatest player.  I also argued that he hadn't won enough championships.  Mike won six.  Kobe won six.  Magic won five.  Larry three.  That's not even taking into account the players that won with Red Auerbach and the old Celtics.  His argument was, no matter how much I hate to admit that he had a point, Robert Horry has seven rings, so does that make him the greatest player in NBA history?  Is he better than LeBron?  Touche' young buck.  He had a point.  Moving on...LeBron has won four NBA Most Valuable Player awards.  Kobe has one.  Magic and Bird with three each.  Jordan has five.  But still LeBron is touted as the greatest ever.  I just don't buy it and never have.  Greatest athlete and physical specimen, sure.  Maybe the most dominant player ever.  Capable of dominating any game at any time, as long as he chooses.  But the whining.  The complaining.  He whines and complains during the game, after the game, in the off-season.  Always whining and complaining, incessantly, non-stop.  I can't stand it.  I think if he would just shut his mouth and play, like he did in game 5 of this year's Finals, stop complaining, stop whining, just worry about basketball, dominate, I might like him much more.  Maybe love him.  But that remains to be seen.

What about Steph Curry?  He is the son of a great shooter.  I watched Dell Curry when he played.  He was smooth.  He was true.  His shot was pure.  He could shoot.  That's about all he could do.  But man could he shoot.  I always wanted to shoot like that but was never willing to put in the time to get there.  Steph was a nobody in high school.  Under the radar.  No one wanted him coming out of high school.  But still he worked.  He shot.  He believed.  He was an underdog.  My pops, rest his soul, loved the underdog.  Always rooted for the underdog.  Maybe I'm that way a little.  When Steph received all of one, that's 1, scholarship offer out of high school from Davidson, he accepted.  He went to Davidson.  He worked.  He made an impact right away.  But no one knew about tiny Davidson and Steph Curry.  Then he led his team to back to back runs in the NCAA tournament.  The most beloved of all tournaments, arguably, for basketball fans.  He led the nation in scoring.  Dazzled with his shooting ability and his ball handling.  Still no one believed.  They said he couldn't play.  Said he'd never make it in the League.  Couldn't handle the ball well enough.  He was too small.  Too slow.  Not athletic enough.  Not strong enough.  Still he believed.  He worked.  He put in the time.  Didn't complain.  I'm not sure I've ever seen him complain, save for a look of disgust on his face occasionally and the occasional questioning of a call here or there (nothing like LeBron).  He was drafted in 2009.  But success didn't come right away.  He had to work, had to do his time, put in the work, pay his dues so to speak.  It didn't happen right away.  He seems humble.  Always gives credit to his teammates.  He's not full of himself.  He invites college kids to work his camps in the off-season.  And man can he shoot.  He can fill it up.  His range begins when he steps off the bus as they say.  He can handle the rock.  He won a championship in 2015, his fourth year in the league.  He may win two and go back to back this year, and equal Lebron's total, but get there quicker.  He has two, back to back, NBA Most Valuable Player Awards.   But he has made himself one of the best in the NBA, and according to the voters, the best in the NBA for two straight years.  Still people doubt him.  He is still questioned.  He's not a leader.  He's weak.  He disappears when he struggles or when things aren't going well.  I have seen Steph have some bad games in the playoffs.  He has struggled.  I haven't seen him disappear.  Haven't seen him quit. He has kept playing.  Kept plugging.  Kept shooting as all good shooters do when the shots aren't falling.  The only time he hasn't played is when he was injured or when his coach took him out.  I haven't seen him ask to come out.  His own coach has questioned him.  Still he plays. Even when no one believes.  Gives credit to others and doesn't complain...too much.

So yes, maybe I'm a hypocrite.  And I'm ok with that.  I like what I like.  And I like Steph.  It's really a personal preference after all.  I loved Dennis Rodman.  Magic is my all-time favorite player. But I like Curry.  For all the reasons I mentioned.  He works hard.  He believes in himself.  He gives hope to the little guy.  The average guy.  He's not big or chiseled with muscles.  He gives kids hope.  So does LeBron, but with a caveat.  You have to be born with good genes, unbridled athleticism, speed, strength and muscles to be like LeBron.  Not Steph, although I suppose he has good genes too.  You just have to believe.  You just have to work and put the time in, and maybe have a dad that played in the NBA, or not.  You can make it, even when no one thinks you can or will.  So keep working, keep plugging, keep shooting.  Yep, that's the difference I think.  Not that LeBron doesn't work at it or believe in himself.  Yep, maybe that makes me a hypocrite.  And I'm ok with that.