LeBron James will return to the Cleveland Cavaliers four years after spurning them for the Miami Heat, according to Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated.
The return to Cleveland was more about basketball for LeBron, who grew up in nearby Akron. In his own words:
“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. People there have seen me grow up. I sometimes feel like I’m their son. Their passion can be overwhelming. But it drives me. I want to give them hope when I can. I want to inspire them when I can. My relationship with Northeast Ohio is bigger than basketball. I didn’t realize that four years ago. I do now.”
Cleveland’s a pretty terrible sports city but I’m not going to beat them down now. The Mistake by the Lake is overdue for good news.
By the way, the piece from SI is well worth the read. Stark difference between The Decision and The Decision II. LeBron’s done a lot of growing up in four years.