A shock was sent rippling through the sports world a few weeks ago; LeBron James, the self-proclaimed “King,” left his hometown team of the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat via free agency. There are many opinions on James’ monumental and unprecedented decision to sign on as the last member of the superstar signing class in Miami joining Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. Many (including Cleveland’s owner) believe that the 6-time all-star performer abandoned his team and hometown in a narcissistic and unacceptable fashion. This sentiment raises an interesting question for a young, brand-minded entrepreneur, as James has said he is. Is James’ decision to sign a contract with the Miami Heat and leave his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers going to hurt his personal brand?

With respect to the LeBron James brand, its evolution over the next few years will be interesting. His entire platform was built on the notion of him being the “King” of not only Cleveland, but the entire NBA. Also, he was extending the idea of his fans as witnesses to his greatness. By fleeing to Miami and leaving Cleveland he could potentially lose the entire premise that his brand has, until now, successfully played upon. The Miami Heat, his new team, already have a bona fide superstar of their own, Dwyane Wade, to which the hearts of the Miami fans already belong. James must be weary not to contract the “A-Rod syndrome”. (Although Alex Rodriguez is arguably the most talented player in the MLB, he will always play second-fiddle to Derek Jeter, the heartbeat and fan favorite of the New York Yankees. With this under consideration, signing with the Heat presents a perilous situation for James’ previously contrived brand platform of him being the “King” of the league.)

Moreover, LeBron James seems to be attempting to emulate the brand of arguably the most famous professional sports star in American history, Michael Jordan. Jordan’s brand was launched due to his prowess and championship pedigree on the court, being dubbed “His Airness”. With James departing Cleveland without winning a championship to join the superstar triumvirate that has been assembled in Miami, many fans of the Cavaliers, and the NBA as a whole, see this move as an admission by James that he cannot, or does not want, to get the job done being the lead man on a team (as Jordan did six times). This could potentially serve as another blow to LeBron’s brand, being as the Jordan brand he is attempting to emulate was fundamentally built around Jordan’s transcendent ability to achieve at the highest level and perform when it mattered most, something James has been questioned about numerous times.

In short, it seems as if LeBron James’ decision to sign with the Miami Heat pokes several holes in the masterfully-crafted brand that he has worked to build since he entered the league seven years ago. Regardless of how his move to Miami plays out basketball-wise, in terms of winning championships, the lack of congruence between LeBron James’ personal decisions and his brand platform could hurt his global image and brand in the long run. It will be interesting to see how James’ recent move will affect his brand in the years to come.