Over the past year, LeBron James' public persona has become that of a "new Alex Rodriguez," an egomaniac seemingly lacking self-awareness in the face of constant media attention. James, of course, also has become the new A-Rod by failing to come through in the clutch or win a title despite his greatness.
Rodriguez finally shed that label in 2009 by winning the World Series with the New York Yankees.
According to ESPN.com, Rodriguez believes that the young superstar will do the same.
"I'm a big LeBron James fan, and he's going to be fine…He's too good. His time is going to come, and it's up to [the media] to make it miserable for him until he does. That's just the way it goes."
Rodriguez knows how it is, he’s been through it.
"When LeBron overcomes, it's going to be sweet for him," Rodriguez said. "But these are the little battles he has to go through, and a lot of it is going to a different place. If this happened in Cleveland, it never gets talked about. But once you expose yourself, like me leaving Seattle, the training wheels are off.
"If I would have stayed in Seattle, none of that would've happened to me. If LeBron would've stayed in Cleveland, I think none of this would've happened, because you're protected by the media, you're protected by the market and you never left. But once you go out, it's, 'OK, you're fair game now.'"
Rodriguez's rise to prominence took a massive leap when he signed the unprecedented $252 million contract with Texas, and then eventually moved over to the Bronx. Rodriguez remembered how he felt when he was in James' position, listening to the advice of legendary John Elway seven years ago at a charity event in Miami.
"When John told me that, it helped me a lot and put things in perspective," A-Rod said. "It lit me up because I said, 'OK, man, I'm 28, and he did it when he was [37]. I have a shot here.' Before that, I felt I was 28 and running out of time already."
Baseball, of course, is a whole different game than basketball, and the pressure to win a title may even be greater in the NBA.
"Baseball is different," he said. "It's kind of been in vogue the last 10-15 years to say, 'Has he won?'…I never heard the expression of Willie Mays never winning, or Hank Aaron [Mays and Aaron each won one title], but that was a different era.
"In basketball, when you have a guy like Michael Jordan, that's 20 percent of your team. So when I was put almost in the category of an NBA guard or a quarterback in football, I just laughed at it for a long time."
Rodriguez was also asked if he would approach James the same way Elway had approached him.
"If the time is right," A-Rod said, "but I don't think he's there yet. LeBron is so young, although sometimes we judge him like he's 35 because he's done so many good things.
"Eventually if you have it in you to never give up, and you fight and you have talent, then you will break through. And I think LeBron will break through in a big way."
