A look at ‘The Franchise’

SEATTLE(BASN) — When LeBron James entered the NBA, I had my doubts and to be honest I was a little concerned for him because of all of the hype that followed.

Nike signed him to a ridiculous $90 million contract before he ever stepped on the court for his first NBA game.

The nickname, “King James” kind of took me back for a minute as well and not to mention the subliminal comparisons or hopes of him being the next Michael Jordan.

If I had a dime for every time that I heard somebody say that “this player” was going to the next Michael Jordan I could retire right now.

We all witnessed what LeBron did during the 2007 NBA Finals and although the Cavaliers were swept by the Spurs in four games, it was the performance by James that they write books about.

And they did.

“The Franchise: LeBron James and the remaking of the Cleveland Cavaliers” by Terry Pluto and Brian Windhorst is a fast break the moment that you open the book.

Pluto, a columnist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Windhorst, a reporter for the Akron Beacon Journal, give you an in-depth view of the LeBron James effect.

“Basketball is a sport in which one guy can make a huge difference,” said Pluto. “The Cavaliers got their guy, and it has paid off.”

“The lottery affected so many lives in Cleveland and Akron, said Windhorst. “It breathed life into something that was dying, and it validated everything that the Cavaliers front office had done to get to that point. It also gave the fans something to cheer for – maybe for the next ten years.”

Pluto and Windhorst double team James, as only they can, in “The Franchise” and gives you accurate, detailed information that only adds to legacy of this young Superstar.

I enjoyed this book immensely!

It speaks to the questions that I’ve asked myself a thousand times and it truly shows that maturity of LeBron and how he’s handled being The Franchise.

The final chapter of this young man’s career hasn’t been written but the journey up to now has sure been excited and we are all “Witnesses”.