LeBron James is the most recognizable face in the NBA today, and while he is universally praised for his efforts on and off the floor, there have been plenty of moments in his career where he has been criticized.
It comes with the territory of being a superstar. You get the perks of being famous, but you basically live your life in a fish bowl and are held to a much higher standard. Any mistakes you make are magnified.
So, here are the five times James has been criticized the most in his career.
5. Walking off the court at the end of the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals
The 2008-09 campaign represented a great opportunity for LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Boston Celtics superstar Kevin Garnett was sidelined during the playoffs with a knee injury, resulting in the Celtics getting knocked out by the Orlando Magic in the second round.
Boston was widely viewed as the favorite to reach its second straight NBA Finals at the time, so not having the C's — a team that had regularly haunted James — in the way was a huge break.
That was until Cleveland met Dwight Howard and the Magic.
Howard and Orlando's shooters dominated the Cavs' defense, eventually coming away with a 4-2 series victory. While LeBron was spectacular throughout the series, averaging 38.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game, he put forth a rather lackluster effort in the deciding Game 6, going 8-of-20 from the floor, 2-of-8 from 3-point range and 7-of-11 from the free-throw line in a 103-90 loss.
But it was his behavior after the game that drew criticism.
As the final buzzer sounded, James stormed off the floor without congratulating Orlando, bypassing numerous Magic players who attempted to shake his hand.
Was this a big deal in reality? No. Players do this rather frequently. But it made LeBron look childish to some.
4. Getting blasted by the Celtics in 2010
The Cavaliers marched to the best record in the NBA in 2009-10 and seemed primed for a Finals run. The Celtics, on the other hand, looked like an aging squad that had already seen its best days.
So when the 66-win Cavs met the 50-win C's in the second round of the playoffs that spring, many expected LeBron James — who had just captured his second straight MVP award — and Cleveland to romp.
Things looked okay for the Cavs early on, as they won Game 1. Boston then routed Cleveland in Game 2, only for James and Co. to return the favor with a decisive Game 3 win in Beantown.
But that was the last hurrah for the Cavaliers.
The Celtics proceeded to win the next three games, including the infamous Game 5 blowout where James was accused by many of quitting.
In reality, Boston was simply the better team that had clearly coasted throughout the regular season. The C's then stomped the Magic in the conference finals and came within minutes of besting the Los Angeles Lakers for the championship.
However, because that loss to the Celtics ultimately signaled LeBron's exit from Cleveland, there are some who feel that James was already mentally checked out and on his way to South Beach midway through Game 5.
3. His stance (or lack thereof) on China and Hong Kong
LeBron James has never shied away from expressing his political views and his thoughts on social justice, something that has been made abundantly clear over the last couple of weeks in the wake of the George Floyd tragedy.
Remember: James once took serious offense to a news reporter's suggestion that he should just “shut up and dribble,” saying that his job went beyond basketball.
Well, that was why people were wondering where he was after Daryl Morey stuck up for Hong Kong this past autumn.
It wasn't even that the Los Angeles Lakers star remained silent on the matter; he openly ripped Morey, saying that the Houston Rockets general manager “wasn't educated” and was “misinformed” on the subject of China and Hong Kong.
Given how much of a social justice advocate LeBron has been in America, his stance was viewed as incredibly hypocritical, and rightfully so.
While he ultimately backtracked a bit and many have either forgotten about LeBron's faux pas or are simply using selective memory, there are also those who can still vividly recall his initial remarks on Hong Kong.
2. The Decision
Back in 2010, LeBron James had yet to win a title and was not the all-time great that he is today. So, when he and his team organized a one-hour special on ESPN to announce where he was signing in free agency, it rubbed plenty of people the wrong way.
I don't think there is an NBA fan who doesn't remember the statement, “I'm going to take my talents to South Beach.”
During that broadcast, James revealed he would be signing with the Miami Heat, joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form a superteam that would become known as the Heatles. (Are there even any Heat fans who genuinely liked that name?)
This set off a firestorm everywhere but quite literally in Cleveland, where fans were seen burning LeBron jerseys.
It wasn't just that James elected to leave the Cavs, but that he went on national television to announce it, even though it was for a good cause.
Obviously, things worked out well for James in the long run given he won his first two championships in Miami, establishing himself as a legend. He then returned to the Cavs in 2014 and fulfilled his prior promise to the city of Cleveland, delivering a title in 2016. That made things okay.
But at the time 10 years ago, LeBron was vilified for his handling of his free agency.
1. The 2011 NBA Finals
There has not been a moment in LeBron James' playing career where he was criticized more than he was as a member of the Heat in 2011.
The Heat entered the 2011 NBA Finals as the heavy favorite over the Dallas Mavericks, and their dominant first seven quarters seemed to support that.
Miami won Game 1 comfortably, and in Game 2, the Heat grabbed a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter … until Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks rallied to tie the series at one game apiece.
From that point moving forward, James was fighting for his reputation. He led Miami to a Game 3 victory, but much like the previous year against the Celtics, he saw his opponent rattle off three straight wins. Dallas won the championship, Nowitzki won Finals MVP and James was labeled a choke artist.
While Nowitzki dominated the fourth quarter throughout the series, James was largely invisible in crunch time. Who could forget his miserable Game 4 performance when he scored just eight points while Wade and Bosh combined for 56 in a three-point Heat loss?
Even the biggest LeBron supporters acknowledge that James was horrendous in that series, and to this day, it remains his most widely criticized stretch as a player.
Of course, James would make up for it the following year by winning his first ring.
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