C’mon fam, don’t be so sensitive! OF COURSE, you’re going to hear things from fans because they want to see you in a dunk contest! If you can do it during pregame warmups, why not the dunk contest where you have a ton of time to prepare?!
LeBron was caught on camera with two SICK dunks (see here & here) during the Heat pregame warmups and he is now responding to the criticism that he has received.
Via Michael Wallace at ESPN:
LeBron James may consider grounding his popular dunking warm-up routine before Miami Heat games if the criticism keeps coming his way.
The league’s reigning three-time MVP said Tuesday he never intended for his acrobatic dunking display in the Heat’s layup line to become a potential distraction that apparently has given some critics a chance to slam him.
James has been executing contest-worthy dunks during warmups, but has been unwilling throughout his career to participate in the league’s dunk contest during All-Star Weekend despite pressure from fans and former players.
“Maybe I should stop because it’s making a lot of people mad about what I do,” James said after he scored a season-high 40 points and had a career-high 16 assists in Tuesday’s double-overtime win against Sacramento. “They’re like, ‘Well, if you can do it in warmups, why don’t you (want to) be in the dunk contest? Stop it.’ ”
James said Tuesday he wasn’t aware of how popular the routine has grown, because it’s something he’s always done. More Heat players have gotten involved, including Chris Andersen,Mike Miller, Ray Allen, Norris Cole and Mario Chalmers, who has been James’ stiffest competition of late.
“I’ve been hearing about it,” James said. “But I don’t really watch TV or go on the Internet too much. As a team, it’s kind of our new thing. I’ve had some good ones, but (Chalmers) doing a 360? That’s impressive. We have a little epidemic right now. It’s kind of like the Harlem Shake.”
