Lebron Has a Big Summer Ahead

Lebron James was so close to proving everyone wrong. He had made it to the Finals in the first year of the Big Three(James, Wade, and Bosh). That was something that he put on himself to do, as he made the statement that they would win 7 titles during the trio's controversial introduction to the Miami crowd. He put it on himself in his famous, "take my talents to South Beach," debacle.

James had it in his grasp. His team had a 2-1 lead after a tight battle in Game 3 at Dallas.

Then the unthinkable happened. First, a reporter from CBS questioned James' ability to rise to the occasion in the fourth quarter. He called James out saying that he was, "shrinking in the fourth."

This had happened after the Heat's Game 3 win by the way.

Then the fourth quarter collapses by the Heat and more notably, James, continue.

While Wade and Bosh tried to keep the Heat in the games during the fourth quarter, it seemed James was focused more on just facilitating rather than taking charge of the game and scoring. 

When Wade was suffering from a hip contusion in Game 5, James still deferred to his teammates, electing to get them involved more than himself. Moments like that make people question Lebron's will and ability to lead.

As a result, James and the Heat lost series, in large part because James' inability to come up in the clutch when it mattered.

So now James has an offseason that will put him on a path or greatness or keep him at the same level. 

Who know, with the talks between the NBA and the players association looking bleak, he may have a couple of summers to transform his game.

This is the time where Lebron can take control of his game and legacy, a legacy that is nto even haflway done yet.   He hasn't faced such adversity like this probably ever.

The media has assessed Lebron's every moved and game like his life depens on it, when the man has only been in the league for 8 years.

I may go as far as saying that James is a more polarizing figure than Kobe Bryant but that may be a stretch.

It is these perceptions and his villain-status in Cleveland that will test his true character and determination to win a title, not just get there but win it.

So as the Mavericks relish in their first championship in franchise history, Lebron has no time to relax. 

This could be the summer that shapes Lebron for years to come or just another summer where he improved just slightly.