Stephen A. Smith | 'King James' needs to earn his acclaim

"I don't listen to the critics, and I don't care what they say. The only people I listen to are my teammates, my coaches. They're all that matter!"

That was LeBron James three nights ago on national television. Three nights after Cleveland had thrown away Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Three nights after the Cavaliers' sensation chose Donyell Marshall - over himself - to launch the potential game-winning shot, then won nothing. Three nights after that decision stained a legacy sprinkled with greatness, pausing to remind us all that, perhaps, you've got to actually win something before adopting such illustrious titles as "The Chosen One" or "King James."

Today, LeBron James is just that: LeBron James. A mortal in gym shorts and a tank top. A star with "in-the-making" attached to his status as recently as last week, indicative of a star with highlights and commercials to validate him - but no championship hardware.

Due to passed-up shots, ill-advised shots, missed shots and a propensity to let others shoot when the game gets tight, the 22-year-old James is not hearing his name mentioned in the same breath as Magic Johnson's or Michael Jordan's these days.

James has spent the last week hearing questions about his reluctance to shoot. He's feeling a growing apprehension hovering over that halo of his about whether he possesses that killer instinct or prays some other member of the Cavs has it.

Just 10 points in Game 1. Held to a grand total of five second-half points in Game 2.

If that doesn't explain it, nothing will.

"There's really not much to say," Kobe Bryant, someone who knows a thing or two about titles and game-winning shots, told me on Friday shortly after returning from vacation with his family. "LeBron should just ignore all the criticism, really. He can use it as motivation if he wants to or needs to. But ultimately, he's going to receive that criticism until he wins titles. All the great ones go through it. He's not about to be any different, so he's just going to have to deal with it, which I think he will eventually."

The problem with James is there's been nothing "eventual" where he's concerned. For "King James," it's always been about right now. The high school phenom with the Hummer. The $100 million Nike endorsement deal before he ever bounced a ball in an NBA uniform. The proclamations that followed. The choreographed image, straight out of Jordan Class 101. A place where all the right things are said and where feathers are rarely ruffled, if ever. Where political correctness is mandatory for those interested in getting paid.

In reality, there's nothing wrong with James' approach because, for the most part, it's worked. But there's nothing right about deferring to Sasha Pavlovic or Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Or missing free throws. And because James has done just that, contributing to a Cavs squad that's been near the bottom in that category for the 2006-07 season, he's opened himself to criticism as to why he's either refrained from taking shots (Game 1) or failed to go all-out in creating contact so he could get to the charity stripe (Game 2).

"Understand, every situation is different," Bryant explained. "My mentality . . . I'm aggressive and I'm going to try to make the right play at the right time. I'm different than LeBron in that sense. LeBron is more of a facilitator. I think the same thing people praise him for is the same thing people are going to knock him for. It just comes with the territory.

"There are different ways to skin a cat. Magic, obviously, was an incredible facilitator. Michael did it a different way. Larry Bird did it his own way, facilitating not from the top of the floor but the post area most of the time. There are different ways to go about getting the job done. It's all about what system you play in and how it plays to your strengths."

True. But who cares, really?

While we know that Tayshaun Prince is shooting 1 for 19 in this series and Chauncey Billups has more turnovers (12) than assists (11), we also know what the outcome would have been in those games had a Jordan, a Magic, a Bird or even Dwyane Wade been the individual with the spotlight on him. Each of them would have probably talked trash. All of them would have backed it up. And even if they had failed to, the criticism would be devoid of questions regarding their valor in times when palms get sweaty and backsides get a bit tight.

"I know what we need to do as a team and I know what we're capable of," James has said all season long. "I also know what I'm capable of."

So do the rest of us, LeBron. That's why we're all waiting for you to do something.