There is no disputing that LeBron James has had one of the greatest careers, not just for any basketball player, but for any professional athlete that has graced this world. The Los Angeles Lakers star has been at the top of the sport for over 21 years now, and he doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon, as he'll be vying for his third gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics later this month.

At this point of James' career, it's difficult to discredit anything he has done, regardless of whether someone is a staunch supporter of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, or Stephen Curry. The Lakers star's impact on the game over the past two decades simply cannot be matched. But there are still those who haven't yet gotten on with the program. One of them is his high school rival Lenny Cooke, the number-one ranked high school player around the early 2000s who's notorious for being a high-profile flameout.

Cooke, in an interview with NBA sports personality Joy De'Angela, said that LeBron James is a player who shies away from the moment at the end of close games as he lacks the “dog” to get his team across the finish line himself.

“One thing that you can't teach is heart. I always been a dog. I just feel like he's not a dog,” Cooke said. “He don't want the ball at the end of the game. He don't wanna be judged for making the wrong play. Big decisions, he turn down. I just feel like he don't wanna be judged. And who cares, bro? You're LeBron, whether you make it or miss that shot.”

Lenny Cooke is entitled to his opinion, but it's difficult to accept what he said when this is just factually incorrect. LeBron James may have had some crunch-time struggles earlier in his career, but that has been a thing of the past a long time ago.

James is simply a player who makes the right play; with a chance to take a lead in the dying embers of a game, the Lakers star will not force up a jump shot over three defenders if his teammate is wide open. It's not like James doesn't force up his fair share of contested late-game shots anyway.

LeBron James is not infallible; there are certain parts of his career that warrant criticism, for sure. But this is not one of them.

What happened to Lenny Cooke — the man ranked higher than LeBron James in 2001?

LeBron James has been so great for so long that it's difficult to remember the very humble beginnings he came from. In 2001, James was not far and away the best player among his peers. That distinction belonged to Lenny Cooke, the man who was ranked alongside Carmelo Anthony at the top of the 2002 ESPN high school player rankings.

Cooke stood at 6'6 and he handled the ball like a guard, much like James did. He was more of a bruising presence on the court than James was, certainly, and his playmaking was a tad worse than his high school rival. His senior year in high school was a bit of a mixed bag; he was as dominant as ever, but he was forced to play in just pickup games and tournaments after he was ineligible for school play due to his age.

Nonetheless, Lenny Cooke received a few agent calls telling him that there were a few NBA teams interested in drafting him, he declared for the 2002 NBA Draft, foregoing the chance to go to college amid interest from universities such as North Carolina, Seton Hall, St. John's, Miami and Ohio State. That was the beginning of the end for him.

Cooke had to toil in the now-defunct USBL, and then he had to go overseas to the Philippines (PBA) and China (CBA) just to get professional playing opportunities. He once made it to the Boston Celtics and Seattle Supersonics' Summer League teams, but he didn't make the final roster. Alas, Cooke tore both of his Achilles tendons, and his basketball career was already dead before he had even turned 25 years of age.

It's important to note that Cooke's downfall started long before he got blinded by the glitz and glamour. LeBron James had outshined Cooke in the 2001 ABCD camp; in fact, James, in addition to outscoring Cooke 24-9 during that contest, drained the game-winning triple. In so doing, James started his run as the most hyped-up American high school prospect of all time. And unlike Cooke, James certainly delivered on the hype, even to the point of shattering expectations.