LeBron Melting Down As Lakers Continue Losing

It seems the disappointing Lakers have finally cracked LeBron James. A recent rebound attempt where no other Laker other than LeBron went for the ball sent the league's most popular player into a long-awaited fit. Watch:

Now part of this play has to do with a lack of personnel that's able to secure rebounds. Due to the injury of Anthony Davis and the release of former backup big Deandre Jordan, the Lakers don't have anyone to stand amongst the trees for the basketball. But LeBron's problem here is that the team around him is showing zero effort, as if that rebound didn't matter.

At least they're honest because the Lakers are not a competitive team in the Western Conference -- and are certainly not in the mix to hoist a Larry O'Brien Trophy at season's end. They have lost 8 of their last 10 games, so there's really no reason for LeBron's teammates to work hard other than the fact that they're paid to do so. Perhaps the team should've brought on talent that wouldn't jeopardize their personal futures in the league because they aren't real contenders?

LeBron's hypocrisy here is also worth mentioning. He's at times been the most energetic and reliable asset for the Lakers, but then a week later, he doesn't make it past half court on a fast break or walks back on defense. Here's a perfect example of this lack in effort that went down during last year's playoff loss to the Phoenix Suns. Hard to get mad at the kind of effort others are giving when this is going on:

LeBron wants to be the general who leads the troops, but he wants to pick and choose when he gets dirty. Leadership doesn't work that way. And it's not as though LeBron is a poor leader overall. The four-time MVP is more so a leader when he wants to be -- when it's sexy and everyone's watching. The Lakers' ratings are down, and it's a difficult task to lead a poor group he had a large part in building.

The most important aspect of leadership is stepping up when the average player wouldn't want to. That's part of the job, and he's failing at that mission before our eyes.