The legacy of LeBron James is one bejeweled with iconic moments. Granted that his chase-down blocks are legendary, however, none holds the weight of the rejection that bagged the Cleveland Cavalier’s 2016 championship against the Golden State Warriors – Their first ever. But this story has a wrinkle in its plot. LeBron’s recent revelation highlights how he defied his coach’s instructions on that fateful play.

It’s time for a flashback. Picture this scene: Kyrie Irving launches a fadeaway jumper. All eyes and minds expect a rebound. However, LeBron, located at the corner, has a different perspective at this point. What made the difference you ask? The King underscored, “In my head I said ‘If I’m correct with the trajectory of the ball… I gotta get my a** back'”. 

LeBron James’s gutsy move to go against his coach yielded a result like never before

Where’s the wrinkle here? Well, his coach’s orders were crystal clear – to get back on the release. Which translated to – retreat after Kyrie shoots. But LeBron ignored those words. He confessed, “I didn’t start to actually get back until I actually saw it was a miss.”  

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Gutsy or spectacular? It did pay off. With a burst of speed reminiscent of Usain Bolt, LeBron chased Andre Iguodala down and smacked away his layup attempt. With that, he sealed the championship for Cleveland. 

LeBron’s defiance though unhinged does not stem from arrogance. He explained that he told the guys all year if they’d see him “hauling ass… just make him change it a little bit.”  It was a gamble that relied heavily on his teammates. With that they created a split-second hesitation in the Warriors’ attack. Iguodala’s altered shot turned out to be LeBron’s championship block and  everything worked out beautifully. 

LeBron James reveals how he adopted Usain Bolt’s style and created history

This is a great segue into what LeBron shared about Usain Bolt. Classic example of how one athlete picks up from another, no matter the sport. At this instance in 2016, when the King saw the bigger picture and decided to leave the playbook behind, he went with the ‘Lightening Bolt’ way. He made comparisons stating, “like the last leg of the fu***** 4 by 1 relay with like Usain Bolt I was like I gotta fu***** go”. 

This revelation adds a great layer to LeBron’s legend. It was a combination of athleticism, trust in his teammates, basketball IQ and of course quite lessons by Usain Bolt. LeBron’s comments also underscore the pressure players feel in such moments. Admittedly he developed a fear of ejection for a potentially over-zealous foul. Nevertheless, his moves created history! 

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