LeBron James is returning home to once again play for the Cleveland Cavaliers!
“My relationship with Northeast Ohio is bigger than basketball. I didn’t realize that four years ago. I do now.”
–Lebron James, via SI.com
These words were published today on SI.com by Lebron James, the undisputed king of the NBA, as told to Lee Jenkins. His essay conveys the thoughts of many young men and women in their 20s. When he made “The Decision” in 2010, he was a young man who could be compared to a recent high-school graduate, pondering their choices for college. What am I still doing here? Where is the adventure in staying where I am? Undoubtedly, the allure of South Beach, playing for championships with his buddies from the modern-day dream team, and living the high life weighed heavily on his initial decision to leave northeast Ohio to begin with. But as they say, “home is where the heart is”.
Lebron is now a more mature man than he was in 2010, when his infamous words, “I’ve decided to take my talents to South Beach” made him a polarizing figure within the NBA and the sports world in general. This time, there is no spectacle, no prime-time TV appearance, no pomp and circumstance. This time, there is a more mature, more grounded man who just wants to go home. He’s had his time in the sunny confines of Miami. Now he has sons to raise, a fanbase to win over once again, an owner to reconcile with, and a legacy to continue building.
Maybe the fans that burned his #23 jersey after the 2010 “decision” are regretting their haste.
