LeBron Named Sportsman of the Year

Just when it seemed like the Year of LeBron was over, Sports Illustrated decided to give the King one more jewel- an early Christmas Present. Monday morning, LeBron was named Sportsman of the Year for 2012. I can't help but feel amazed that the fallout from The Decision is officially over. Less than two years ago, LeBron was the basketball world's favorite punching bag. His every achievement was an opportunity to aggrandize his supporting cast and his failures an excuse to curse his name. After a season playing the role of villain and his legendary collapse in the 2011 Finals, LeBron took the summer off for some much needed introspection and came back a new man. Starting in the Fall of 2012, LeBron had a different look in his eyes. It was championship or bust for LeBron if he ever wanted to become the greatest ever to lace up.

What amazes me about this sudden turnaround in the world's feelings toward LeBron is that his significant charitable works go almost entirely under the radar. Most people have no idea that he donated  hundreds of bicycles and laptops to Akron youth and that he currently sponsors thousands of elementary and high school students in finishing school. LeBron went from something of a whiny showboater to one of the greatest leaders the game has ever seen. He is one of only two players on the Heat to get the coach-sized extended scouting reports before games (Shane Battier, of course, being the other), and you can hear him barking orders on every play. When LeBron isn't on the floor, he spends the majority of his time sitting with rookies to give them a glimpse of the game through his eyes.

The 2012 playoffs are when the questions about LeBron's supremacy came to an abrupt halt. From the first game against the Knicks, LeBron shut himself out from the world. He wasn't tweeting highlights or instagramming pictures of his meals; he spent every minute reading or watching tape. Throughout the playoffs, the Heat's game plan was simple: let LeBron be the best player in the world. When he needed to pass, he fooled defenders with mind-blowing no-look passes; when he needed to score, he drained shots of such difficulty that no mortal player would even attempt them. In the biggest game of each series, LeBron turned in an absolutely amazing performance.

Down a game to the Pacers, he put up a line of 40-18-9, possibly his best playoff performance of all time... until game 6 in Boston. LeBron and his Heat had their backs against a wall, one loss from going home and possibly seeing the end of the Big 3 experiment. In that game, LeBron put together the defining game of his illustrious career. He dropped 45 points on over 70% from the floor, added 15 rebounds and dominantly shut down Paul Pierce on the other end of the floor.

Then, on the biggest stage of all, the NBA Finals, the King looked like the second coming of Jordan, Malone, Magic, and Oscar all at once. If you had to pick one moment from a series of 5 straight dominant performances, it has to be the "Cramp Game" as it will be remembered. With game 4 winding down and the Heat needing a win to all but ensure a Finals victory, LeBron went down with severe cramps in his leg, needing to be carried off the court. As he saw his team struggle without him and his lead wither away, he went back into the game for one shot, a three pointer he drilled at the end of the shot clock over Thabo Sefolosha, grimacing all the while.


LeBron has always been a dominant athlete and a basketball genius, but now there is no denying that he is a fearless leader, a consummate professional, and the Sportsman of 2012.