Miami Heat's LeBron James dunks against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half of their NBA basketball game in Miami, Florida, February 24, 2013.RHONA WISE/Reuters
Miami Heat star LeBron James has taken enough heat over his pregame dunking routine that he abandon his acrobatic display.
James said his intention wasn't to be a distraction with the high-flying dunks but to entertain fans. Apparently, some critics have taken exception to his refusal to participate in the NBA's dunk contest during All-Star weekend.
"Maybe I should stop because it's making a lot of people mad about what I do," James said, according to ESPN. "They're like, 'Well, if you can do it in warm-ups, why don't you (want to) be in the dunk contest? Stop it.'"
James's act has become somewhat of a spectacle. Fans arrive early in Miami to watch and record James's exploits in the layup line before games. He also has gotten teammates involved. The Heat is now streaming video of his dunks on the team website.
James said after he scored a season-high 40 points and had a career-best 16 assists Tuesday night in a win over Sacramento that he didn't realize how popular the dunk show had become.
"I've been hearing about it," James said. "But I don't really watch TV or go on the Internet too much. As a team, it's kind of our new thing."