Having become a star very early in the NBA, LeBron James quickly benefited from a certain complacency from referees. However, this did not prevent him from complaining about a few whistles, including the one made after what he self-proclaimed his “crab dribble”.
Lebron James tiến tới việc phá vỡ kỷ lục ghi điểm tại NBA | VTV.VN

His history with the refereeing body is something of a roller coaster. Certainly well regarded by referees since the start of his career, LeBron James has nevertheless made a habit of expressing his disagreement with some of their decisions. 

 

This was often the case with the marches that were whistled against him. It must be said that he regularly plays with fire when it comes to his steps, as in this action:

LeBron’s power move with his “crab dribble”

Despite the star status that he has assumed practically since his rookie season, LeBron has not always been favored by the referees. For example, he complained about a costly whistle during a match lost against the Wizards (77-80), on January 4, 2009. Sanctioned for a walk on a drive which would have allowed the Cavaliers to equalize in money-time, the King firmly contested this judgment after the fact. ESPN reports:
I simply took a “crab dribble”, that is to say a hesitant dribble followed by two steps. It’s an action that I’m one of the few to do in this league. Everyone has their signature move, and this is one of mine. You might think it’s a walk because it’s slow and looks a bit like a high-step, but it’s as valid a move as any in this league.
I ended up on the wrong side of the whistle, but I think the referees should look at that and understand that it’s not a walk. This is a perfectly legal action and something I have always done.

Các trọng tài nói gì về pha bóng "2 điểm hay 3 điểm" gây tranh cãi của LeBron James?

A rather daring request addressed to the officials… but which actually ended up bearing fruit later that year.

Indeed, in October 2009, the league decided to modify its regulations concerning walking. The term “gather step”, designating the step taken by a player while he has not yet mastered the ball after a dribble, has thus entered the lexicon of referees. 

 

A blessing for LBJ and his famous move sanctioned a few months earlier, which he was able to use with complete impunity throughout the rest of his career.