Watch: LeBron James reveals imposters spreading hate against him for leaving Cleveland Cavaliers: “The elevator opens & 2 guys have f**k LBJ shirts”
In the summer of 2010, LeBron James turned the NBA world upside down. After spending the first seven years of his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he opted to sign a free-agent deal with the Miami Heat.
LeBron James received a lot of criticism for multiple reasons. First off, he joinedg forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, two star-level talents. LeBron also parted ways with his hometown team and the franchise that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2003.
Following the decision, fans did not hold back their outrage toward the four-time MVP. One of the most iconic videos involves fans burning his jersey in the streets of Cleveland moments after "The Decision" aired on ESPN.
During a recent appearance on "More Than An Athlete," LeBron James opened up about an encounter he had where two guys were spreading fake hate. In 2010, he was getting on an elevator and saw two people wearing shirts that read "F*** LBJ." Upon realizing who it was, they asked LeBron for a photo. However, just as the elevator was about to close, they told him that they weren't even from Cleveland.
James said:
"I will never forget that day. Dec. 2, 2010. The elevator opens & two guys have f**k LBJ shirts. One of the guys says, 'Can I take a picture with you? I'm not even from Cleveland.'"
LEBRON: "I will never forget that day. December 2nd, 2010. The elevator opens & 2 guys have f**k LBJ shirts. One of the guys says, 'Can I take a picture with you? I'm not even from Cleveland.'" https://t.co/0n1nMDcTQg
LeBron James gets falsely accused of starting the 'superteam' era in the NBA
In today's NBA, star-level talent is constantly on the move. Players are constantly joining forces with other top talents, essentially creating the 'superteam' era in basketball.
Because of his decision to play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, LeBron James is often labeled the cause of superteams. That being said, they were around long before he put on a Miami Heat jersey.
For starters, the Boston Celtics had a superteam of their own at the time. Part of the reason LeBron left Cleveland was because he could not get past the trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. If they didn't make the moves to put the three Hall of Famers together, who knows if James would have ever left his hometown team.
Even before the Celtics' Big Three, superteams have always been a thing in the NBA. Seeing how stars today request out while they are under contract, LeBron should receive some apologies considering he has always moved as a free agent in his career.