This time around, there was no 75-minute spectacle on ESPN to declare “The Decision” LeBron James has made as a free agent. King James took a humbler, more low-key approach to announcing where he has decided to play starting next season.
On Friday, July 11, at 12:17 p.m., Sports Illustrated writer Lee Jenkins tweeted that James would be returning to Cleveland, and he provided the link to an SI exclusive, where James penned an essay explaining why he has decided to return “home.”
James opened his letter nostalgically detailing his fond memories of his home in Akron, Ohio.
“Before anyone ever cared where I would play basketball, I was a kid from Northeast Ohio. It’s where I walked. It’s where I ran. It’s where I cried. It’s where I bled. It holds a special place in my heart.”
After playing seven seasons for the Cleveland Cavaliers, James decided to “take his talents to South Beach,” joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, where they were featured in a special “Miami Heat Welcome Party” with a flashy light show and smoke. Perhaps caught up in the excitement, James and his new teammates talked about their high expectations for the coming seasons.
“Once the games start, …it’s going to be easy,” James predicted.
When the announcer said how James came down to win championships, and not just one, James responded by saying they would win “Not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven,” championships, but more. The Big Three won two championships in four seasons.
James has admitted that he regretted the way he handled his transition and that he would do it differently if he could go back.
In announcing his decision to go back to Cleveland, James takes on a more focused and realistic attitude.
“I’m not having a press conference or a party. After this, it’s time to get to work.”
His goals are still the same, to win as many championships as possible, but he has reigned in his expectations, as he was criticized for his overly confident remarks during the welcome party.
“I’m not promising a championship. I know how hard that is to deliver. We’re not ready right now. No way. Of course, I want to win next year, but I’m realistic.”
James’ workman approach may garner more respect, as he has learned from his previous experience that going all the way in the NBA Playoffs is a lot of work and nothing is guaranteed.
“But what’s most important for me is bringing one trophy back to Northeast Ohio,” James wrote. He writes of his homegrown pride and remarks on how he was wrong for not appreciating his community when he left in 2010.
James hopes to create more pride in his community for others, to develop the area into a place where many people want to live. He even sees that his return could boost the local economy and encourage entrepreneurs to take up shop there.
“I want kids in Northeast Ohio, like the hundreds of Akron third-graders I sponsor through my foundation, to realize that there’s no better place to grow up. Maybe some of them will come home after college and start a family or open a business. That would make me smile. Our community, which has struggled so much, needs all the talent it can get.”
