“Childish.”

That is how Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James described the behavior of the alleged assailant who struck his friend early Monday morning outside of a nightclub in Cleveland.

According to the victim, Edward Givens, who was doing promotional work for View Ultralounge & Nightclub, the man who struck him in the face was Cleveland Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards.

Although Edwards was not arrested, nor were any charges pressed against him, Givens called James at 7 a.m. following the incident and filled him in on the details.

James claims that he and Edwards have never crossed paths and told The Associated Press, “… it seems like there’s a little jealousy going on with Braylon and me and my friends.”

And it is plain to see why.

Edwards will never come close to being the face of his own league, let alone the city of Cleveland, like “King James.”

Not to mention, the entire nation embraces James, or at least should, while Edwards has created an image of himself as a complaining, injury-prone, high draft pick that followed up his only good season in 2007 with two dull campaigns marred by drops and an inability to find the end zone.

In the locker room, he bashes coaching decisions and squabbles with teammates.

He even took a helicopter to the Ohio State-Michigan football game in 2006 during the weekend of a Browns game after the organization asked him not to go.

Edwards had not really gotten himself into too much legal trouble until the incident Monday, although, he did not exactly advise teammate Donté Stallworth to stay off the road after a night of partying in Miami.

Stallworth later struck and killed a pedestrian while intoxicated.

Not that Edwards is responsible for keeping drunk drivers off the road, but there is a pattern forming here.

And the culmination of the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Edwards’ seemingly poor decision-making was his choice to strike the 5-foot-7, 135-pound Givens with a closed fist.

Givens told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that Edwards approached him and said, “If it wasn’t for LeBron [James] or the Four Horseman [James’ friends and business parteners], I wouldn’t have what I have, nor would I be able to get girls.”

Givens added that an argument ensued, and Edwards’ teammates tried to pull him away when he allegedly punched James’ friend in the face.

Real classy, Braylon, picking on a guy who happens to be friends with a way better person and athlete than you just because he is getting girls’ attention.

It sounds to me like someone that has a last name that starts with “Ed” and ends with a “wards” is having a little trouble in that department.

Maybe if he did not go around picking on dudes that Lebron compared to the size of his kids — by the way, I don’t know what is more insane: Edwards’ behavior or the fact that James’ son LBJ Jr. is already close to 5-foot-7 and 135 pounds at 5 years old — ladies might actually want to be around him.

Regardless, I am sure National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell will have a blast sorting out yet another issue involving his players and nightclubs.

Reach Erik at emschimm@asu.edu.