Now that I have your attention, you’re probably asking yourself: Has Hatta lost his mind? Perhaps. I don’t expect that I’m going to make any friends by admitting that I’m pulling for Lebron and the Miami Heat to win the NBA championship. But an attention-grabbing headline and little controversy is good for email click-throughs, and I’m tired of hiding in the Lebron-fan closet. The NBA (especially the playoffs) is just more fun with Lebron than without him. 
Regardless of what team he plays for, his athletic ability is awesome to watch. More importantly, even when he fails (maybe especially when he fails), Lebron makes the sport more interesting and more entertaining.
What does this have to do with tech startups or talent? Not much. I could try to spin a tale about how Lebron’s apparent maturation process in the last year is his version of the Lean Startup, a method of rapid iteration and product refinement driven by customer feedback. Or I could position this NBA championship final as a second act for Lebron, akin to when Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997. But all of that would be a stretch, even for me. Truthfully, I don’t even follow the NBA all that much. But I love a good story, a bit of drama and a possible shot at redemption. We need our heroes and villains for a good story and sometimes the villain can even become our hero again. Either way, I’m watching.
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Robert Hatta is Vice President of Entrepreneurial Talent and assists JumpStart client and portfolio companies in their efforts to recruit and retain entrepreneurial talent at all levels.