Watch: Relive the moment of LeBron James' return to Cleveland 11 years ago since 'The Decision', as he gets booed but puts up a 38-point show as a Miami Heat player
Exactly 11 years ago today, LeBron James returned to Quicken Loans Arena, which back then was the home court of the Cleveland Cavaliers, in Miami Heat colors. It was the first time since 'The Decision' that took him to South Beach.
Fans were sick to the stomach with LeBron James' 'treachery', as he was their hope of winning a championship for the first time in franchise history. To many, it was the way he made the announcement, more than the announcement itself that was unacceptable.
Boos echoed around the arena every time LeBron James touched the ball throughout the entire game. Fans held up several placards with some of the nastiest comments including, "traitors don't leave legacies," "punk move Bron," "beg for mercy," etc.
Despite the deafening boos, LeBron James put on a classic, single-handedly outscoring the Cavs starting 5 who combined for 28 points. He finished the game with 38 points, eight assists and five rebounds to lead the Heat to a 118-90 victory.
11 YEARS AGO TODAY 👑
LeBron put on a show in his 1st return to Cleveland after "The Decision."
38 PTS (24 in 3rd)
30 MINS
15/25 FG
8 AST
5 REB
The Cavs starting 5: 28 PTS https://t.co/YiBPWmPwVx
When asked about how he felt post-game, LeBron said:
"We came here with one goal, and that was to win a basketball game, and we did that. This is the most complete game that we had all year from start to finish."
Given the opportunity to send a message to the fans, he said:
"I had seven great years. Loved every part. Loved every moment. From the growth, when I was an 18-year-old kid to a 25-year-old man. As a team we tried our best to bring a championship to this city, just try to play hard every night. I got the utmost respect for this franchise, the utmost respect for these fans and just continue the greatness for myself here in Miami and try to get better every day."
Although LeBron James jumped ship seven years into his professional career, he returned to Cleveland in 2014 and delivered on a promise to bring a championship to the city. He overcame the 73-9 Golden State Warriors in 2016 to win the NBA title for the franchise. While he reached the Finals for four consecutive years from 2015-2018, overcoming the Warriors was an uphill task.
How successful did LeBron James get after leaving Cleveland in 2010?
LeBron James was in search of a ring, and he carefully selected his teammates to put himself in a position to win one. He partnered with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form a Big 3 that dominated from their first year together.
The Heat reached the Finals in 2011 but fell to Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks. It was a rivalry that was birthed in LeBron James' absence (2006), but he was there to receive payback.
2012 was a better year for LeBron James, as he won his first-ever championship. In the four years he spent in Miami, he reached the Finals four times and won two championships.
OTD in 2003, LeBron James kicked off what would eventually be one of the greatest NBA careers ever.
4 MVPs and 4 championships later, King James is still adding up to his legacy.
🔴 Cavs 🏆
⚪️ Heat 🏆🏆
🟡 Lakers 🏆
https://t.co/d2S4HiaWtF
After his return to Cleveland and his run against the Warriors, he left for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018. His first year was not great as he missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006. In partnership with Anthony Davis, he won a fourth title in 2020.
LeBron James and the Lakers are currently in search of a record 18th championship in league history. Although he has assembled a star-studded team that can deliver the goods, they have had a rather slow start to the season.