Even after the Miami Heat were bashed by the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals, the general consensus was that LeBron James was heading back to South Beach. James, now a Cleveland Cavalier once again, insists that he had no specific plan for the future as he walked off the AT&T Center floor, according to Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated.
Things we learned from LeBron James’ SI cover story
LeBron James announced his decision to return to the Cavaliers through a letter published by Sports Illustrated. Lee Jenkins follows up with some interesting factoids about the decision’s aftermath.
However, there were some “bread crumbs” going back several years that hinted a return to Cleveland was in the works. And now that James is back home, he’s hoping he can have a “fairy tale” ending with a parade down East 9th Street.
Jenkins’ profile on James tells the story of how this all played out, complete with some fun factoids about the decision and its aftermath.
- James Blair made headlines in 2013 for charging up to James on the court in Cleveland, wearing a shirt that asked him to return home. After winning the championship in 2013, James met Blair at a club, patted him on the head and followed him on Twitter.
- Cavs fans celebrated in numerous ways. One fan, Chad Zumock, called an ex-girlfriend and talked for 45 minutes. The two had broken up right around the time James had left for Miami.
- The Cavs sold out season tickets in 10 hours, and they needed so many extra phone lines for ticket sales that employees were instructed to use cell phones.
- Food and drink was created in James' honor. Baker Boulevard in Akron made cupcakes, while Gateway Bar & Grill in downtown Cleveland served $2 LeBron shots. It was shots of Patron along with packets of sugar, to be tossed in the air like James' chalk during pregame.
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