For decades, people have pointed the finger at LeBron James for constantly teaming up with other stars. According to his haters, he's hurt the NBA's competitive balance by handpicking his teammates.
People blame LeBron James for this Superteam era. It's more common nowadays to see superstars teaming up with other top-notch players to have an easier path to an NBA Championship.
Recently, Brooklyn Nets star Blake Griffin and his former teammate JJ Redick debated whether James should be to blame for this trend or not, with both of them sharing pretty different points of view.
Blake Griffin Says Boston Celtics, Not LeBron James, Started The Superteam Era
“I think it’s really funny. You know how everybody really s— on LeBron. LeBron was kind of the first guy that everybody s— on for joining — the [Boston] Celtics did it,” Griffin said on JJ Redick's podcast 'The Old Man & the Tree'. “They brought K.G. (Kevin Garnett) and Ray Allen to team up with Paul Pierce."
“Yeah, but I’ve said this before, and I’ll stick by it,” Redick replied. “The Celtics did it by front office, right? It wasn’t — the LeBron thing sort of set off this player empowerment era. By linking up with D-Wade (Dwyane Wade) and Chris Bosh, and we’re all going to go to the same place together, having these conversations behind closed doors with USA Basketball, whatever it may be. Whereas with the Celtics, it was Danny Ainge the mastermind, up in the front office, putting up the superteam."
Both make pretty valid points, and Redick is right in LeBron starting a player-empowerment movement. Then again, basketball is a team sport. No one can win on his own and there should be no shame in that.
At the end of the day, the league may do something to prevent these juggernauts. But, in the meantime, let's just enjoy watching the best hoopers on Earth playing side by side. It's either that or stop watching basketball.
