After helping the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-115 in the NBA on Saturday, LeBron James reflected on his playing days in Cleveland.
Six years after leaving the Cavaliers for the West, the 38-year-old James told out about his emotions after returning to face his former team.
‘Being able to come back after my Miami stint and win a championship here for this organization, for this city,’ James added. ‘I think there was a 52-year [title] drought or something like that in the city of Cleveland for any sports club, and I just think that was something I will never forget no matter how old I get.’
After winning two championships with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013, James returned to Cleveland to fulfill his vow of returning a championship to his hometown.
In 2016, James helped the Cavaliers overcome a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals against a Golden State Warriors club that had the best regular season record (73-9) in NBA history.
‘Looking up there and very much being a part of all of the banners in this arena is usually a pretty incredible feeling,’ James remarked. ‘And the No. 1 banner, the one in the center, was that ’16 championship, so that’s pretty fantastic.
‘I grew up 30 miles south of here, and to be picked here and spend my first seven years here, doing some exceptional things that the franchise had never seen before,’ he says.
In a win over the Utah Jazz on November 22, James became the first NBA player to achieve 39,000 points. On the same day of his return against the Cavs, James’ philanthropic foundation inaugurated ‘Lebron James Home Court,’ a museum in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, recognizing his accomplishments both on and off the court.
‘I used to get on my parents about saving stuff ever since I started playing sports,’ James recalled.
‘And she kind of threw it back in my face when the stuff was being prepped at the museum, since a lot of the things in there is because of the stuff she saved. That’s really nice.’
James, who is now a member of the Lakers, has won a championship with each of the teams for which he has played.
He has also won four Finals MVPs and four regular season MVPs. In addition to a long number of honors, James has made 19 All-Star appearances.
Off the court, James is a strong supporter of various non-profit organizations, as well as the founder of the LeBron James Family Foundation in Akron. James’ ‘I Promise’ school opened its doors in 2018 to assist struggling primary school pupils in staying on track with their education.
‘I think it’s very wonderful that I’ve been able to accomplish certain things in my life to give back to my community, continuing to promote my town, and offer my community a location where people want to visit, see, and be proud of it,’ James added.
‘Yes, I am. I’m quite happy of the fact that my foundation has been able to accomplish so much, and this is just one of the many things that we can all be proud of in my city.’
James finished a milestone-filled week with a hectic 36-minute shift against the Cavaliers. James finished with 22 points, six rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and two steals. The Lakers are 10-7 on the season and presently rank seventh in the Western Conference.
‘When I was drafted, I told them I wanted to light up this city like Vegas,’ James explained. ‘So I feel like I did a good job at that over my 11 years here.’