NBA Cannot Wait For The LeBron Sequel...We Think

After the Dallas Mavericks put the finishing touches on the Miami Heat and became NBA champions for the very first time in franchise history Sunday night, June 12th, Dallas, Texas was not the only city cheering loudly. In Cleveland, Ohio, arguably a bigger cheer was also heard when the final ticks went off the clock. Clevelanders probably felt vindicated after witnessing their homegrown talent decide to take his talents to beautiful South Beach last summer. But take a closer look, who was really the victor last night? You can say what you want about LeBron James not being a champion or calling him LeBrick, LeQuit or LeBronz, but those same people that despised his over the top show on ESPN announcing his signing with the Miami Heat (including a ranting Sir Charles Barkley who shares the same amount of NBA championship rings as LeBron, zelch) were glued to their T.Vs. So before you hate him, thank him first.

We know that the NBA will never admit it, but the Mavs may have won the battle (the title), but LeBron won the war for the NBA. Game 6 of the NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat delivered a 15.0 overnight rating, the highest-rated Game 6 on ABC, according to Nielsen thanks to Cleveland Cavaliers team owner pouting theatrics after losing LeBron fueled the fire. The Sunday game was the third highest overnight rating for an NBA game on ABC, behind Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals (18.2 overnight rating, Lakers vs. Celtics) and Game 5 of the 2004 NBA Finals (15.5 overnight rating, Lakers vs. Pistons). The game peaked with a 20.9 rating between 10:30-10:45 p.m. ET. If you are waiting for the LeBron sequel, Bodog.com has already listed the Miami Heat as odds on favorites, 5:2 to win the NBA title in 2012 and guess who comes in second? The Los Angeles Lakers at 11:2 odds. That would be the matchup everybody would want to see Kobe vs. LeBron, LeBron vs. his former coach, Mike Brown and LeBron vs. will he choke again.


Starting on July 1, 2011, the NBA lockout begins. The NBA commissioner, David Stern has come out saying that the players need to have their annual salary/benefits package reduced by about $800 million, to $1.3 billion from their current $2.1 billion. But do not tell that to the players. With ratings increasing (thank you, Mr. James) and the league experiencing a record 50,000 new season ticket holders, reducing the players salary and benefits package will be a hard pill to swallow. With more drama percolating around the league, the NBA would be fools if they let the lockout drag on and risk not having a LeBron sequel. This would be a public relations disaster similar to a Miami newspaper ad mistake claiming the Heat champions before the series concluded. LeBron is what the doctor ordered for the NBA, a primetime juggernaut -- err villain.

By: Walt Thompson