Lebron James, a tribute; over the hill at 30

Lebron James, a tribute, over the hill at 30

tribute to Lebron James/ part 3
again no jinx or disrespect intended
A what if; there but for the grace of God go I, what if Lebron James was stuck in D league due to an injury early in his career

fiction
edward w Pritchard

It's a short drive from Cleveland to Canton, Ohio but it's an insurmountable distance for a D league Canton Charge player to reach the Cavaliers, Cleveland's professional basketball team. It's insurmountable if the player is 30 years old with a bad knee and an ex-wife and two teenage children. Having no back ground in College ball is a minus as well.

The knee went in the last high school game of a spectacular pre-college career, the nation's top young prospect. Followed by 12 years in D league as an affiliate player and a few years playing in Europe, some good years some bad. Every Fall it gets harder and harder to race up and down an off site court and every year the head coach  gets younger and younger. It's hard to remember your teammates names in the twelfth year in D league.

D league is the farm system for professional basketball. Any NBA team may acquire a D league player. That's the dream that keeps players coming back each year and pushing themselves to stay in shape at 25 or 26 years old. It gets harder and harder each year. With a salary range of $25,000 or so along with a love of the game of basketball and being an optimistic dreamer, a D league hopeful must be agile enough to train and work a couple of part time jobs.

Maybe a D leaguer grew up between Canton and Cleveland in Akron. Maybe he is 30 years old and works for the City water department. Maybe each years he promises himself this will be the last. One more shot at the NBA, championships, product endorsements, best dressed lists and fame and screaming fans.

The hardest part of playing in D league is training. Twenty one year olds in top shape racing through the drills, hanging on every suggestion the coaches yell out. Playing in D league at thirty, even the cheerleaders look like teenagers.