Winning: LeBron James

One may think that LeBron is a pretty obvious candidate for the 'winning' series, and he is, but this focuses on his achievements since 'The Decision' as opposed to the plethora he has accomplished throughout his lifetime.  First, I focus on his achievements on the basketball court.



New team, better teammates, same stats


Going into the 2010-2011 season LeBron was fresh off two consecutive MVP awards and three straight seasons in which he averaged over 27-7-7 (pts,rbs,ast) a game.  Playing alongside fellow superstars Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, LeBron's numbers were expected to take a bit of a hit, especially in the points category.  Have his numbers declined? Hardly!  LeBron averaged 29.7-7.3-8.7 last season, and has maintained those approximate averages with 26.7-7.5-7.0 this season.  One benefit of playing on the Heat is that LeBron doesn't have to carry such a heavy load. His field goal percentage increased to .510% from .503% in 2009-2010.  Despite playing on such a talented team, LeBron has managed to maintain his superb statistics while continuing his winning ways with the Heat. Off the court, 'The Decision' left a sour taste in the mouths of many NBA fans, especially those from Cleveland.  One would think, why would LeBron leave the town he grew up near, leaving his childhood, success, and a strong supportive atmosphere behind?  Evidently LeBron came to the conclusion he couldn't win an NBA title in Cleveland.  Was there a backlash to his decision? Originally yes, but now? Yesterday Lebron's jersey became the top worldwide seller, surpassing Kobe Bryant.  This was the first time LeBron's jersey was the top seller since 2004.  LeBron was clearly grateful for this, saying:

“ It just shows that I've still got a lot of fans out there, man. ... I'm not perfect. I've made mistakes. I'm trying to move forward. But as a basketball player and a role model I am trying to do the right thing. ”
-- LeBron James

Some athletes don't realize what a positive impact they can have if they try and serve their constituents as a positive role model.  Clearly LeBron James realizes this and appreciates his supporters.



A combination with very profitable potential


Moving away from the world of basketball, LeBron recently teamed with Fenway Sports Group to purchase a share of Liverpool FC, the sixth-most valuable soccer club in the world (and the hated rivals of my favorite team Everton).  Forbes estimates Liverpool to be worth $822 million dollars, and a very small piece of that could still deem very profitable.  Expanding his image in a more global manner could be a great move for LeBron! By exchanging some of his marketing rights to Fenway Sports Group in exchange for shares in a British soccer club should only help expand his presence.  Basketball is quite popular in the U.K. and throughout Europe in general, so this seems like one of many 'winning' moves for LeBron.