Now, they're champions.
Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez had kind words for LeBron James on Friday, a day after James vanquished his demons by winning his first NBA title with the Miami Heat.
Rodriguez made a similar trek through criticism to championship glory in 2009 with the Yankees, when he finally won a World Series.
"I knew exactly how he felt, and I was very happy for him," Rodriguez said Friday night, according to the New York Times. "I know he's going to take a deep breath now and really enjoy the rest of his career. We probably haven't seen the best of him, and we probably will now."
James and Rodriguez have followed somewhat parallel paths in their pro careers.
Rodriguez came up with Seattle as a teenage shortstop and immediately wowed the baseball world. After signing a lucrative contract with the Texas Rangers, where he where he won an MVP award and posted record-breaking numbers, he joined the Yankees. He was expected to bring instant results — including World Series titles — but attracted mostly criticism in his first few years with the club.
James came out of high school heralded as the next Michael Jordan, and he immediately made an impact in the NBA. While playoff berths and MVP awards followed, though, he never got that elusive title. Two years ago, he left his old team in a highly publicized switch to Miami, where he promised championships only to be humbled by the challenges of working with new teammates and falling short of his ultimate goal.
"It always seems like when you do it, you have to earn it," Rodriguez said.
He also acknowledged that James' change in approach may have helped.
"I don't think, as an athlete, you can move forward until you look in the mirror," Rodriguez told the New York Times. "I used that line in 2009. I keep hearing him say, 'I'm in a good place, I'm in a good place.' Those are some of the same things I was saying. But it's not until you look in the mirror and say: 'You know what? I've got to change some things. I'm tired of getting my head knocked in,' that you can make the leap to the next level. I think he did that."
Rodriguez and James have another connection beyond being big-name stars who finally won it all — Rodriguez's hometown is Miami. He said he's been watching James' ascent ever since the King moved in.
