Written by David Regimbal

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Media outlets across the country have produced hundreds, even thousands of stories and storylines about Lebron James in the months following his highly-ridiculed “Decision”. Everything from conspiracy theories about “Lequit” giving up against Boston as a Cavalier to one of his former teammates making a sweet lover out of his mother -- almost anything that could be written about Lebron has been published with a ferocious frequency.

But one of my favorite stories that was produced post-Decision was a personal anecdote my cousin told me. My cousin has a close friend who worked at a store in Fairlawn, Ohio that makes smoothies -- which was apparently one of Lebron’s favorite places to go during his tenure with Cleveland (for the purposes of this article, we’ll call the employee “John”). Lebron would walk in without saying a word and John would start making his drink. Everyone at the store loved Lebron, and everyone knew his order.

A few weeks after Lebron spurned Cleveland on national television, it was business as usual at the smoothie store. Customers were filing in and John was taking names with orders. That’s the protocol at this store. You ask for the customers name so you can write it on the cup of their drink.

That morning, Lebron walked into the store and stood in line, just as he had for years and years when he played with Cleveland. When it was his turn, John looked at Lebron frankly and said, “May I have your order?”

Lebron just looked at John, taken back by what just happened. After a moment of awkward silence, Lebron gave John his order. John then replied, “Excellent. May I have your name, sir?”

At that point, Lebron wasn’t pleased. “Come on, man,” Lebron said to John. My cousins friend didn’t flinch. “May I have your name, sir?”...

As insignificant as that story is when lined up next to all the fun-to-read articles about Lebron’s shortcomings in the Finals, it’s all I can think about right now.

“May I have your name, sir?”

I’d love for him to answer that question.

Who the heck is Lebron? After eight years in the NBA, he has faltered between a variety of different identities. Is he the “Chosen One”, a nickname given to him... by himself? Is he the person we’re supposed to be a “Witness” to? Is he the second coming of Michael Jordan? Is he Batman or is he Robin? Is he a passer or is he a scorer?

After game six of the 2011 NBA finals -- we're no closer to finding that answer.

After faltering in the fourth quarter of nearly every Finals game (with an incredibly satisfying consistency), Lebron’s armour is starting to crack. Leading up to game six, Lebron was saying all the right things to the media. Stuff like “we play our best with our backs against the wall,” and, “it’s up to me to lead my team to victory.”

So you’re a closer? Is that what you’re saying? That against all odds, you’re going to put the weight of the pressure on your shoulders and carry your team to a victory?

Well, obviously that’s not correct. Lebron shat the proverbial bed time and time again in pressure situations during this year’s Finals. He was outplayed by Jason freaking Terry down the stretch. That was after Terry called Lebron out and said “the closer” couldn’t guard him for seven games. If Lebron is the best player on the planet, and in fact “a closer”, he should not be getting punked by Jason Terry.

Maybe he’s just confused. His postgame remarks after game six would suggest that. A reporter asked Lebron for his thoughts regarding people celebrating his failure. He responded with the same old cliche about keeping that stuff out-of-mind, that he doesn’t let that impact anything he does. Apparently the Lebron who seemed to feed off the negativity, the man who was “taking mental notes” of the people criticizing him last summer has faded into a man who doesn’t pay attention to that stuff anymore.

Or maybe he doesn’t pay attention to that stuff because he fell short of the glory he predicted before he played a single game with his new team at Miami. It takes me back to that ridiculous celebration he took part of days after giving Cleveland one of the biggest middle fingers in sports history. The guy promised the world that the Heat were going to win “not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven,” but multiple championships. He literally said it was going to be easy.

That was the plan, right? Lebron teamed up with Wade and Bosh so it would be easy. He made the move from Cleveland so he could “have teammates he could depend on.” He needed more than a cast of role-players to win a championship despite being a superstar.

I wonder what it does to his sense of identity to watch Dirk -- a superstar surrounded by nothing but role players -- dominate the NBA Finals.

Will this be his wake up call? Will this give him the identity he’s been searching for since he left Cleveland? Honeslty -- he needs your help. He’s asking you, "who should I be?"

Maybe this summer, he’ll realize that no one can answer that but himself. Right now, Lebron James can look in the mirror and see a variety of different things. He could see an embattled superstar, dealing with more adversity than any sports figure in history. He could see someone who needs just one more piece to the puzzle to make a championship team. He could see a villain or he could see a potential hero.

“May I have your name, sir?”

After another flop in the Finals, Lebron answers...

“...I have no idea what my name is, who I am or who I should be.”

Follow David on Twitter @davidreg412