Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James, right, drives past Miami Heat’s Luol Deng during their game in this Oct. 11, 2014, file photo.Visiting San Antonio’s AT&T Center to deliver the world champion Spurs their championship rings Tuesday night, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said of the best team and organization in pro ball:
“To this spectacular Spurs team … that represents the essence of team basketball and respect for the game.”
Few truer words could be spoken. And no sport may more desperately need both its college and pro teams to follow the servant leader mindset practiced each and every game by San Antonio.
Heck, the Spurs even have the NBA’s first woman assistant coach, 16-year WNBA veteran point guard Becky Hammon having joined the staff during the offseason.
Not that anyone much is focusing on the five-time champion Spurs these days. Not with LeBron James switching allegiances from the Miami Heat — with whom he won two rings before being flattened 136 days ago by the Spurs — back to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with whom he began his pro career in 2003.