Will Marriage Help or Hurt LeBron James’ Brand? – Black Enterprise.
The move from Cleveland to Miami demonstrated to LeBron James that no matter how much talent a higher power has bestowed upon you and no matter how much money you have, there is a fine line between love and hate. The fans in Cleveland loved LeBron one day, yet the next day when learning of his passion to leave, their love quickly turned into firery hatred.
The move to Miami humbled and matured LeBron. Celebrity status does not remove life’s disappointments. The Heat’s loss in 2011 gave LeBron a taste of losing a most cherished goal. That loss also impacted Savannah Brimson, who came close to losing her man. Thank God for second chances. 2012 brought a completely different approach, a more positive experience for both. We saw a change in LeBron as he came into the final games of the 2012 Final Championship. He was serious and played to win. That change was not just on the court, it extended to his character and home life.
Maturity helps us to make better decisions as we realize how our decisions determine whether we sink or swim. The past experiences that make us grow the most are the ones that brought the most pain. Those are the challenges that make us grow and become better.
When LeBron came to Miami, I prayed that Savannah would not bring the “Basketball Wife” mentality that makes basketball players appear to lack emotional intelligence (EQ and IQ) in selecting women. It makes good television drama but wrecks havoc on the family and in turn, disrupts the basketball player’s performance on the court. In my book, Sink or Swim, I write about the challenge of a basketball star finding a trophy wife, with substance and a heart. Savannah is a sweet person with substance and a heart, but human nature sometimes causes women to lash out when threatened or hurt, just trying to stop the pain.
We have all done things in our past that could very well have caused us to lose our most important dream. When that happens it causes the person to change. Whenever you surpass a milestone in life, it forces you to change. The move to Miami has caused both LeBron and Savannah to experience pains of potential loss and both were fortunate enough to have a second chance and regain their dream.
It would be nice if we knew what the future holds. Unfortunately, we never know what curve ball life may send our way. We would like to think that saying ”I do” will mean forever. LeBron is a family-man, however, based on statistics, there is a chance that it may not, especially for high-profile celebrities like LeBron. Understanding that your decisions determine whether you sink or swim, means that you prepare before you face a challenge. Preparing a pre-nuptial agreement prior to a wedding is a smart move for a high profile celebrity. It is wise planning, similar to a business preparing an exit strategy before going into business. It is hard to think about exiting the business that you are passionately starting. An exit strategy does not take your passion away from your business any more than a pre-nuptial takes love away from your heart. It is just good planning.
Once you prepare an exit strategy in busness, it stays tucked away in the cabinet until you decide to use it. Likewise, a pre-nuptial stays tucked away in the drawer. That piece of paper will never come out of that drawer as long as both continue to respect and love each other and maintain affection and communication daily.
