In his latest attempt to clean up his image in the aftermath of his infamous "Decision," LeBron James has released a new Nike commercial, entitled "Rise" in which he tells the world how he really feels about the new chapter in his life.
LeBron's message, in a nutshell, is that he lives up to no one's expectations but his own.
And so far, the Miami Heat star says, the viewers have enjoyed the new ad.
"They like it," James said Tuesday night before Miami's season opener against the Celtics. "Especially my friends and family. We've all lived this, so they enjoyed it."
The 90-second spot includes a few bits of dark humor, most notably including a scene where LeBron appears in front of an empty ballroom for his Hall of Fame induction ceremony. While bits and pieces of the commercial were chuckle-worthy to those who understand LeBron's plight, the MVP insisted that his aim wasn't to entertain.
"None of it was jokes," James said. "I wasn't in a joking mood. None of it was jokes. I think when I look back on it, I was basically just saying, 'Should I be who you want me to be, or should I just be me?' That's how I've gotten to this point. I respect everyone who's had an opinion, but at the same time, you've got to do what's best for yourself. I think everyone has to do that."
In the wake of all the criticism King James has received for the way he handled his move from Cleveland to Miami this summer, he's obviously hoping to send a message to the American public. Whether he's done that with the new Nike ad, though, is hard to say.
"That's for you guys to dissect," James told the media. "It's just how I was feeling at the time, and I'm still feeling it at some points in my life. I just wanted to get it out."
