Gyalis

Stephen A. Smith names the two biggest things he holds against LeBron James as a basketball player, blaming him for the decline of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest and questioning why he never developed a true on court rivalry with another superstar. Smith argues that LeBron’s decision to never participate in the Slam Dunk Contest influenced other NBA stars to stay away, hurting one of the biggest attractions of All Star Weekend. He points to legends like Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady as examples of elite players who embraced the competition. His second criticism is that LeBron has never had a consistent individual nemesis, someone who matches up against him and brings genuine hostility and competitiveness every time they meet. Smith says the rivalry with Stephen Curry was more about the teams than two players going head to head because they play different positions and have completely different physical profiles. He believes the closest moments came when Kevin Durant joined Golden State and faced LeBron in the NBA Finals, or when LeBron first teamed up with Dwyane Wade in Miami. For Smith, the intense buildup to the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics matchup is exactly the kind of individual rivalry and competitive tension he wishes LeBron had brought to the game.