"A toast to LeBron: Let us all, please, raise a glass for the basketball King who seems intent on becoming the world's jester. All at once now, and preferably at noon Eastern Standard Time. But really, any time would do. Any date one of his myriad brand partners chooses, and we will be there, expecting greatness yet coming away in disbelief, wondering: " Wait?! Is that it??!""
"Crown him - the royal pain in our backside. The Duke of desperation. The Baron of basic behavior. Because the man who would be King has made himself into a peasant shilling for coins, and is spending his final years, not as the greatest player in history, nor as a modern-day activist and advocate, but as a narcissist fearful of Father Time."
LeBron James repeatedly stages attention-grabbing promos tied to brand partners, prompting expectations of major announcements but delivering product pitches instead. Fans often anticipate greatness yet leave disappointed and bewildered. A celebrated athlete now relies heavily on endorsements and teasers, including a bait-and-switch social media promotion that mimicked a retirement announcement to sell cognac. He appears to trade legacy for commercial gain, performing in soda commercials, singing falsetto for shopping deals, and appearing in fast-food ads. Despite commercialization and criticism, he retains the ability to command large audiences and trending attention across platforms.
Read at The Washington Post
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