Imagine, for a moment, if LeBron James were clinically depressed. If all his natural skill was wasted on a mind that couldn't get its act together; a million dollar body in a 10-cent head, if you will. He would be a tragic figure, Steve Blass writ large, an epic athletics cautionary tale.
Well, if LeBron James were a woman, he'd be Chamique Holdsclaw, who abruptly retired from the WNBA yesterday in the prime of her career, without explanation. The move was shocking, but she's been an odd bird for most of her career anyway.
And while she has been very productive in points and rebounds, her on-court demeanor for some time now has suggested an amazingly gifted athlete who has been going through the motions. She has been playing basketball as if it's simply a chore she excels at, but not a passion she embraces. In fact, it has even seemed a burden.
This is her second retirement, so in this way, she's like Michael Jordan, if Jordan never won any titles and played in a league no one really watched. So she's like Mario Lemieux then! (Sorry.)
'Mique's Exit Leaves L.A. In Lurch [ESPN]
Chamique Holdsclaw Is Wacky [Blog Of Hilarity]