Many people believe that LeBron James’ tale has progressed from hero to villain and back again. As a result, he transitioned from popular to notorious to even more popular.
The media has played an important part in that narrative.
In the summer of 2010, ESPN aired The Decision, in which James announced to a national audience that he was moving to South Beach to join the Miami Heat. James and The Worldwide Leader in Sports both received criticism for the self-congratulatory tone of this statement. Some justified, some unjustified—especially given that The Decision raised more than $2 million for the Boys & Girls Club.
The second time James approached free agency, he selected a different platform, which generated further doubts. Not for James, but for Sports Illustrated. Ten years ago, James delivered SI one of its biggest scoops when he announced his return to the Cleveland Cavaliers on July 11, 2014.
According to Lee Jenkins, James stated in an essay: “In Northeast Ohio, nothing is guaranteed. Everything was earned. You labor for whatever you have. I’m prepared to embrace the task. “I’m coming home.”
This was seismic. SI’s revelation of this news became almost as huge as the story itself. Leading up to his free agency, there were various speculations about James, and many people wondered who would be the first to divulge his new location.
Nobody could have guessed that it would be SI.
The Washington Post revealed some of the specifics around the revelation. It turned out that Jenkins had spent months pursuing James for a story. Jenkins had previously published SI pieces about James, so James was comfortable and at ease with the NBA journalist.
On Wednesday, July 9, Jenkins traveled to Las Vegas to meet with James. He broke the momentous news to Jenkins on Thursday. The report was promptly and covertly released on the SI website the next day.
As startling as it was when SI broke the news, it was equally shocking that ESPN did not do it first. Perhaps James was upset with the backlash from The Decision and blamed ESPN for the unfavorable publicity. Regardless, SI regained some of its strength and relevance.
While some praised the scoop, there was sharp criticism. ESPN has a number of conflicts of interest with its broadcast partners and the athletes it covers. However, it is not unusual for it to engage in journalistically problematic behavior. However, traditional print journalism often strives for a higher level.
One of the harshest criticisms was Richard Sandomir of The New York Times. While congratulating SI for breaking the story, Sandomir wrote: “News value aside, the approach cast Sports Illustrated more as a public-relations ally of James than as the strong journalistic standard-bearer it has been for decades.”
According to The Times, “Jenkins conceded that, in most cases, he would write a third-person story.” However, James stated, “My biggest priority was his voice, not my subtext.” Managing editor Christian Stone supported Jenkins, claiming that there was no exchange for access to James.
In journalism, there can be various views on what defines best practices. Sometimes there is no simple black and white answer. Jenkins’ work is unquestionably newsworthy. However, Sandomir was accurate in stating that the magazine put itself in the position of appearing to be James’ public relations mouthpiece.
Was there long-term damage or significant ramifications from this? Not necessarily. However, you couldn’t blame any readers or other writers for having a different perspective on SI’s James coverage.
A lot has changed since the James-SI story. After winning the 2016 NBA championship with the Cavaliers, James left Cleveland for the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer of 2018. The fanfare was not as loud. Everyone seemed to know he was leaving before it happened. The announcement was not surprising at all. It didn’t call for a made-for-TV show or an essay.
The James narrative did not halt SI’s fall. The magazine/website that exists today is a mere ghost of what it once was. If an athlete is going to announce big news, it won’t be through SI. It could not even be on ESPN. Star athletes may pick from a variety of venues and media sources to shape their message.
And how about the originator of the SI scoop? Jenkins earned a front-office position with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2018 after years of sportswriting success. He was first employed as the Executive Director of Research and Identity. According to his X profile, he is currently the Vice President of Basketball Affairs.
Jenkins and James emerged as the clear winners here. Could the story have been handled differently? Probably. However, given what has occurred to these two guys, it is unlikely that either would have changed anything.
