Four years after "The Decision," LeBron James took a very different route to announce his reunion with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. There were no cameras, big banners, press conferences or parties; instead, there was a single, personally written letter from James posted on Sports Illustrated, concluding with a final message:
LeBron James announces signing with Cavaliers through personal letter in Sports Illustrated
Instead of a big press conference or party, LeBron announced his return to Cleveland via a personal, heartfelt letter published in Sports Illustrated.
Chris Covatta
I’m ready to accept the challenge. I’m coming home.
The King comes home
The King comes home
And with that, the entire NBA landscape has radically changed for the next few seasons.
Showing how far he’s come as both a player and a person, James signaled his return to Cleveland in almost the exact opposite way he announced his departure. Rather than put together another boisterous, self-aggrandizing event -- which admittedly would’ve been watched by millions -- he took a far more personal, humbled course this time around.
A significant part of the letter, which was written with help from Lee Jenkins, reflects on the past few years, and James' previous decision to sign with the Miami Heat. He offered thanks to all those involved with that organization for supporting him, but also pointed out the troubles he had emotionally after leaving his hometown.
My relationship with Northeast Ohio is bigger than basketball. I didn’t realize that four years ago. I do now.
Compared to four years ago, it’s both interesting and understandable that James would approach this situation so differently. And yes, what he does in Cleveland will be more important than how he announced his return, but this is certainly a good start for everyone involved.
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