Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James has a natural competitive edge to him. If he didn’t he most likely would not have been able to become arguably the best basketball player that ever lived.
But does that sort of competitiveness come naturally, or does it somehow come out gradually with playing sports and playing a big role for your team? Apparently, it’s the former.
They way that can be surmised is what James said Thursday regarding whether or not his own children shared his competitive edge. His response was both insightful and delightful, per Nikki Goel of ClutchPoints.
Who can remember being a kid and playing a game — any game, doesn’t matter which one — and getting so frustrated when we would lose and just start throwing things around, cursing and vowing that we would remedy the outcome on the next try? I know I do.
Although sometimes it feels that a reaction that would cause someone to throw controllers and break joysticks is more rooted in insanity rather than competitiveness. Maybe you can’t have one without the other.
One of James’ sons, LeBron Jr., is in high school right now, and from what has been reported is a pretty good basketball player. It’s unclear whether he or one of his other children is the joystick-breaker, but in the end it doesn’t really matter.
Having a professional athlete was a father — especially one as great as James — must rub off in some way, shape or form. They just have to hope that they don’t also inherit James’ hairline.