Being the Man : Kyrie Irving vs. Neymar
Whatever you think of Neymar, this does not seem like something motivated chiefly by greed or manipulation; this is a superstar wanting to really challenge himself, rather than continue in a supporting role.
It’s very similar to the Kyrie-Situation (except of course the Football Transfer vs. NBA Trade-Scenario).
Young gun on one of the best teams of the world, does important things for the team but there still is this one guy, who happens to be one of best EVER to play the game, and he’s stealing the headlines. So young gun, who already won the Champions League/NBA Finals decides he wants to be THE guy, on a weaker club/team.
Kyrie and Neymar moving teams for money, glory or autonomy?
Barcelona and the Cavaliers both won championships two seasons ago, but were usurped by behemoths in Real Madrid and the Golden State Warriors last season as they battle against the fading of exceptional periods in their history. Each face the very real possibility of the one player who could be key to unlocking keeping up the good fight while leaving massive holes in their squads along with questions over decision making at their clubs. If the problem is management, again, Neymar and Kyrie need to let that be known so when history judges, it might take a more sympathetic approach.
And at once, we are seeing two different styles in how the two teams and their respective leaders are trying to keep their players around.
Stephen A. Smith, a sports journalist who makes a living out of these very controversies says, “I had sources in LeBron James’ camp literally tell me, and I’m quoting, I’m quoting…’if Kyrie Irving was in front of LeBron James right now, LeBron James would be tempted, quote, ‘to beat his ass,’” before assuring us that these were LeBron’s exact words.
The closest we got to that in Catalonia was a slap on the back of the head for the Brazilian from Luis Suarez as he arrived late for training. That and murmurs of clandestine meetings that reportedly went on for hours as the M and the S in the MSN trident tried to talk Neymar off the cliff.
LeBron James refuted these supposed quotes and has refused to be drawn further on the issue thus far, because he may have felt as though acting as the president was the wrong thing to do. It might also be one of the reasons Irving handed in his trade request — too much power concentrated in one small area of the locker room.
Shoes deals, brand, ego and endorsements for Neymar and Kyrie part of the issues
Both 25. Both highly skillful. Both with the urge to start competing for the top prize opposed to being nominated in the best supporting actor role and both with enough stock build up to court the very best teams willing to offer them the most money.
In an age when endorsements and sponsorship's can bring in more money than an athlete’s salary, Neymar is busy maximizing his own potential on the shoe front while Irving looks to get more out of his feet. Part of the reason why he is said to want a trade is because of LeBron’s shoe deal amongst others and you simply can’t get a bigger shoe deal with the same company, Nike, when you’re not the number one. If the Cavaliers’ roster was a chessboard, LeBron is quite clearly the king and Irving has to be content with being the rook.
On Forbes top 100 list of rich athletes, LeBron James ranks number two and Lionel Messi number three. They make $55 and $27 million a year respectively from endorsements. Neymar and Irving are ranked 18th and 38th with $22 and $12 million in endorsements and it’s clearly time for that to change, they feel.
The similarities in their situations are startling, but both men will have their reasons. What is not up for debate is that a quarter of a century into both of their lives, they are starting to look at their own legacies within their sports and thinking maybe. If they were number one at a new outfit, they could drive that team, their own team, to glory and become the man, as opposed to just a man, on a successful team.
Pique said, “Neymar cannot be the protagonist at Barcelona, because the best will always be Messi, always.”
Kyrie can never be LeBron either but he can be his own version of LeBron on his own team even if that is in a smaller market on a smaller team without the prop that is one of the greatest players ever to rely on when the going gets tough. For those asking why neither are happy playing second fiddle on great teams, the answer could be that their minds are not designed that way. Greatness, or perceived greatness, cannot be dependent on other influences and must stand alone and out front to be truly recognized as greatness.
Regardless of what happens with either case, we have seen Lionel Messi and LeBron James and feel privileged to have done so but this summer proved that their understudies are ready to step out from their shadows and make some waves of their own. Whether what comes next justifies the supposed hassle they have caused their teammates will be totally reliant on the Irving and Neymar, which is just how they want it.
