LeBron James – Legacy Marred?

NBA legend LeBron James is one of the biggest stars in US. In fact, during the peak of his career he was considered the best athlete ever to have graced this planet. Over the past year or so rumors have come up on social media suggesting that NBA legend LeBron James is using steroids as performance-enhancing drugs. These rumors were further led to rest when the star himself confirmed use of testosterone for medicinal reasons. There are enthusiasts world over who are concerned that this could result in an unfair advantage on the basketball court. This is more so because basketball has lagged behind in framing strict laws against players who have used performance enhancing drugs.

The discussion about use of drugs in the field of sports and athletics came into the fore with the report of Russian bodybuilders blatantly using Dianabol back in 1954. Most recent event of cyclist Lance Armstrong admitting to using EPO, Testosterone, Cortisone and HGH has further sparked debate on the issue. While the NBA does test for steroid use, critics have argued that they go very lightly when it comes to testing their big stars like LeBron James and do not hold them to the same standards as WADA or the IOC. Sincehe has not clearly admitted it, the NBA has not decided on penalizing him. He joins ranks with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Hulk Hogan, Sylvester Stalone, Ben Johnson and Barry Bonds who has admitted to use of drugs.

Eventhough U.S. has made steroids illegal without a doctor’s prescription; it can be purchased from hundreds of global websites, by athletes who are seeking a winning advantage. Finding a physician to legally prescribe these drugs has never been a problem for pro athletes, and the number of compounds available online is staggering. Anabolic steroids work well for building lean muscles, helping athletes bulk up and develop physically beyond just diet and exercise. Few realize that LeBron’s incredible rise to fame includes a behind the scenes rags to riches story. LeBron was born to a single 16-year old mother in 1984. Growing up was a struggle as they moved from place to place in Akron trying to survive.

In an effort to create a more stable home life, LeBron’s Mom allowed him to move in with a local football coach.The family introduced him to basketball when he was just nine years old. In 2015, LeBron James became the youngest player ever to score 25,000 points in the NBA. Fan backlash squashed the idea that their legend would ever use a compound that affects his reputation. The various performance-enhancing supplements available today are anabolic steroids, stimulants, human growth hormones and supplements. Hence it would not have been hard for LeBron James to get steroids. It is widely available online from overseas suppliers and has been used by professional athletes for the past 50 years. Performance enhancers work extremely well and have very few side effects. Perhaps these drugs have been misrepresented as something bad, when they are simply a tool athletes use to achieve the peak of human performance in their chosen sport. Whether LeBron James used performance enhancing drugs and joined the ranks of professional athletes using steroids today will continue to remain a mystery for the time being.