Lebron James is the greatest basketball player on the planet. Whether or not this is true is up for debate, but what is hard to dispute is the fact that James has had one of the most storybook careers thus far and could possible add another championship to his resume this year.
When analyzing characters within stories, readers can start to see a typical pattern that follows the hero. This pattern is known as "the hero's journey."
The hero's journey can be defined as, "a pattern of narrative identified by the American scholar Joseph Campbell that appears in drama, storytelling, myth, religious ritual, and psychological development. It describes the typical adventure of the archetype known as The Hero, the person who goes out and achieves great deeds on behalf of the group, tribe, or civilization."(http://www.thewritersjourney.com/hero's_journey.ht...)
Lebron James is a hero for many reasons and I find it interesting to compare Lebron James' life with that of a hero in story.
1. The ordinary world. Life was a struggle for Lebron growing up. LeBron James was born on December 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio. His mother, Gloria James, was only 16 at the time. His biological father, Anthony McClelland, was an ex-con uninterested in being a parent. Right from the get-go, there is a setup for what would be one of the greatest triumphs in sports history.
2. The call to adventure. I would say when Lebron first picked up a basketball and discovered he was naturally gifted was when things started to shake up for James.
3. Refusal of the call. Lebron, although superb on the basketball court, often had trouble in school.
4. Meeting with the mentor. Although James did not have his biological dad in the picture, James had a few men step up to put him on the right path. These men included coaches and family friends.
5. Crossing the threshold. James decided to skip college altogether and go straight to the NBA, fully dedicating his life to basketball.
6. Tests, allies and enemies. When playing in the NBA and playing at the level Lebron has played at his entire career you are bound to make enemies along with countless friends
7. Approach. Lebron has continued to work on his game to succeed in the world of the NBA.
8.The ordeal/reward. Lebron took his talents to South Beach and played for the Miami Heat, and many frowned upon this move, some even going as far to burn his jersey. The reward for Lebron? Two championship rings with the Miami heat.
9. The road back. Lebron eventually left Miami (coincidentally after losing to the Spurs in the finals) and returned back to his hometown team.
Lebron is still in the process of completing his journey as a hero. To finish this, I would argue that he needs to win a championship in Cleveland; something that may be easier said than done going up against the Warriors.
