Basketball superstar LeBron James returned home to Cleveland today with his decision to rejoin the Cleveland Cavaliers next season. He spent the last four years with the Miami Heat. James was low key with his announcement, choosing not to hold a big press conference but insteadissued an essay, published by Sports Illustrated. In the piece, James explains why he decided to go back to Cleveland.
“Before anyone ever cared where I would play basketball, I was a kid from Northeast Ohio,” James said. “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.”
James said he chose to go to Miami in order to work with former teammates, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. Now the player seems to be righting a wrong that many Ohioans felt when he left the city.
“I always believed that I’d return to Cleveland and finish my career there. I just didn’t know when”, James also said. “After the season, free agency wasn’t even a thought. But I have two boys and my wife, Savannah, is pregnant with a girl. I started thinking about what it would be like to raise my family in my hometown. I looked at other teams, but I wasn’t going to leave Miami for anywhere except Cleveland. The more time passed, the more it felt right. This is what makes me happy.”
To read James’ full statement,click here: In an article that carries the byline “By Lebron James as told to Lee Jenkins” of Sports Illustrated
