Whereas in part 1 I focused on the outside forces contributing to LeBron James' narcissism, here I'd like to illustrate just how his "entitled" self-absorption has revealed itself. And again, I'd like to emphasize that his ever-increasing arrogance and grandiosity--and ever-decreasing empathy for his loyal followers--doesn't represent anything innate in him but is an almost inevitable reaction to the over-the-top hero worship he's been subject to since adolescence. It takes a certain humility (not to say, considerable maturity) to take others' adulation in stride. But it doesn't appear that James learned very much about cultivating a modest, unassuming attitude from his family--especially when it's noted by Cleveland sports reporter, Andy Baskin, that his mother, Gloria James, would proudly go to his high school games and "taunt" other parents with her Wheaties box (!). Baskin, in his thoughtful post, "Reflections and Revelations on Covering LeBron James," refers to a variety of incidents that occurred during the time he covered James for the media. Like his fellow reporters, he felt impelled to look the other way when James acted questionably--feeling that, well, superstars behave differently from the rest of us, so he probably should be cut additional slack. But after his "Decision" and the egregiously insensitive, disrespectful way James left his team, his fans, and his city, Baskin felt quite within his rights to divulge earlier signs of James' offensive character flaws--which for so long virtually everyone had given him a free pass on. It's fascinating that even in high school his behavior on the court was at odds with his behavior off it. Writers have commented on how mature--even selfless--he was in his willingness to pass the ball to others whenever they seemed in a better position to make a shot. And in fact a major part of what made his athletic performance so precociously stellar (and so "adult") was that he was every bit as accomplished at setting up shots for teammates as he was in finding the net himself. A natural born leader, he was also a superb team player. Off the court, however, some of his behaviors disclosed less flattering aspects of his character. For one thing, Baskin recalls the brash audacity of James' publicly declaring: "I am a great leader!" And the youth was also involved in various incidents suggesting that maybe he really wasn't much more than an immature, self-centered adolescent--inconsiderate, smug, and egocentric. Or, to not coin a phrase, "full of himself." Baskin talks about the time James was named amateur athlete of the year by the Cleveland Sports Awards, and arrived late--adding that, thereafter, James didn't bother to show up at all to receive his awards. Similarly, Baskin (then reporting for the cable station FSN) speaks of his tremendous difficulty in getting interviews with the superstar when James was in his first year with the Cavaliers. Even though NBA rules clearly specified that the home TV broadcasting team get first choice of a player after the game, he felt regularly snubbed by James. And during all this time James' "inner circle"--a most self-entitled entourage that seemed almost bullying in its presumptuous disregard for protocol--were demanding (and, of course, receiving) all sorts of privileges because, at every turn, those in charge felt they had to defer to James' preferences. Here the writer talks about how his professional colleagues would be "bumped off" team flights because James' men had "moved in around the team" and James wanted them accommodated (as in, his wishes were management's command). http://www.psychologytoday.com/node/45518
