Critics believe that the dominance of LeBron James in the East was triggered by the simple fact that the conference had relatively weaker teams. Now that he's in the Western Conference for the Los Angeles Lakers, critics believe that James will finally be exposed. But for the 33-year-old, respect from his fellow players is far more important than anything else.
Speaking with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, James addressed the on-going conversation about him going to the West. This is the first time that James has gone to the said conference. His first 15 years in the league were all spent in the East where he pretty much ran-over every team in the regular season and the playoffs.
“I would never get into [an East-West] conversation like that,” James told Yahoo Sports. “‘Oh, he’s competitive in the East, but [the West is different].’ I’m well respected by my peers and that’s all that matters. I’m going to be as patient as I can be. I know I got a young squad, but these guys are willing to learn and I’m willing to learn with them.”
For LeBron James, such talks are nothing but whispers. All that matters for him is the respect given to him and the young core he's tasked to lead.
The East-West dynamic has been used by James' staunch critics in an effort to downplay his achievements. Though it is true that the East is the much weaker conference, one cannot discount endurance and stamina that James has showcased in his eight-straight NBA Finals appearances.
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