ESPN: Why LeBron James will be never be Jordan

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Mind of the Fan: How fans see LeBron James - ESPN

Before the Decision, 14.80 percent of white NBA fans listed LeBron as their favorite player. The next season, that number nosedived to 8.56 percent. The next season, 6.83 percent of white NBA fans also listed LeBron No. 1, less than half his initial white fanbase. According to our most recent data, LeBron rode multiple championships to a 9.69 percent mark among white fans -- still far below his 2010 apogee. Within this demographic LeBron's the rare player who was far more popular before winning two championships.

Over the 2009-10 season, 21 percent of black NBA fans listed LeBron as their favorite player. That figured dropped to 16.5 percent the season after The Decision. A steep drop, to be sure, but look at LeBron's popularity since. The season of his first title, as he lost more traction with white fans, LeBron crept back up to 19.25 percent among black fans. Our most recent figures have him at 23.5 percent among black fans, higher than his pre-Decision popularity. We can see similar results among Hispanic NBA fans. LeBron's up in that demographic to 12.41 percent, a slice above his Cavs peak of 10.73 percent.

This demographic divide extends to team affiliation. Our most recent poll recorded 22.6 percent of black NBA fans listing the Heat as their favorite team, in stark contrast to 6.8 percent of white fans listing the Heat No. 1. Some of this dynamic might be attributable to Miami's playoff battles with the Boston Celtics, a team that claims a disproportionate amount of white supporters (9.7 percent of white fans cite the Celtics as their favorite team).

:dahell: crakkka ass crakkkas. I might not like Bron's game, but I ain't holding THE DECISION against him. Fukk that was his shining moment IMO.
 
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