Written by:
Alejandro Sanchez
Professional sports are a very influential part of society, bringing people together, giving kids people to look up to when they don’t have a positive influence at home and setting an example for what to do when things don’t go your way, such as losing a game.
The NBA Finals just wrapped up and the Los Angeles Lakers earned champion status, an achievement they had not had since 2010. This year, things were different. First was the passing of Laker legend Kobe Bryant. His passing made the championship that much sweeter since the Lakers dedicated their season to Bryant. Shortly after Bryant’s passing, the pandemic shifted the world. Life changed and suddenly all sports were gone.There were no teams to cheer on and bring joy into our lives.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) worked diligently with all the teams and the Walt Disney World Company to create an environment where the season could continue with no fans or danger for the teams of contracting COVID-19.
Months of games were played with great, competitive battles. The Finals consisted of the favorite, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the team no one expected, the Miami Heat.
The Lakers came into the Finals as the first seed for the Western Conference while the Heat came in as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Lakers won the first two games of the series in what seemed to be a potential sweep of the Heat. Then, Game 3 happened. The Heat played in a way that showed why they belonged in the NBA Finals and won the game with a final score of 115-104.
The self-proclaimed “King of the NBA”, LeBron James, was not happy with this result and showed the attitude of a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. James did not even bother to stay on the court for the remainder of the game. James stormed off into the locker room, not caring about his teammates or what the Heat had accomplished.
When James was asked at a post game interview if he walked off the court because he thought the game was over or because of frustration, he replied, “Both,” with a smirk on his face.
This issue is front and center because it came from LeBron James, the most well known basketball player in the world at the moment. He is an example, a hero and someone who some kids look up to. What does his action show? Give up when things don’t go your way? Forget your teammates? Throw a hissy fit? It’s alright to be a sore loser?
Those questions raise my main point, what happens to sportsmanship when the main ambassador of basketball does not show it?
Maybe, it’s time to get back to basics and remember what good sportsmanship looks like. Congratulate the winner, be there for your teammates when things are not going your way and be a proper mentor to the generations that will be following in your footsteps.
