'I'm Coming Home' By Lebron James

[Mutt]

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.

Remember when I was sitting up there at the Boys & Girls Club in 2010? I was thinking, This is really tough. I could feel it. I was leaving something I had spent a long time creating. If I had to do it all over again, I?d obviously do things differently, but I?d still have left. Miami, for me, has been almost like college for other kids. These past four years helped raise me into who I am. I became a better player and a better man. I learned from a franchise that had been where I wanted to go. I will always think of Miami as my second home. Without the experiences I had there, I wouldn?t be able to do what I?m doing today.

I went to Miami because of D-Wade and CB. We made sacrifices to keep UD. I loved becoming a big bro to Rio. I believed we could do something magical if we came together. And that?s exactly what we did! The hardest thing to leave is what I built with those guys. I?ve talked to some of them and will talk to others. Nothing will ever change what we accomplished. We are brothers for life. I also want to thank Micky Arison and Pat Riley for giving me an amazing four years.

I?m doing this essay because I want an opportunity to explain myself uninterrupted. I don?t want anyone thinking: He and Erik Spoelstra didn?t get along. ? He and Riles didn?t get along. ? The Heat couldn?t put the right team together. That?s absolutely not true.

I?m not having a press conference or a party. After this, it?s time to get to work.

When I left Cleveland, I was on a mission. I was seeking championships, and we won two. But Miami already knew that feeling. Our city hasn?t had that feeling in a long, long, long time. My goal is still to win as many titles as possible, no question. But what?s most important for me is bringing one trophy back to Northeast Ohio.

I always believed that I?d return to Cleveland and finish my career there. I just didn?t know when. 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 make the move I needed the support of my wife and my mom, who can be very tough. The letter from Dan Gilbert, the booing of the Cleveland fans, the jerseys being burned -- seeing all that was hard for them. My emotions were more mixed. It was easy to say, ?OK, I don?t want to deal with these people ever again.? But then you think about the other side. What if I were a kid who looked up to an athlete, and that athlete made me want to do better in my own life, and then he left? How would I react? I?ve met with Dan, face-to-face, man-to-man. We?ve talked it out. Everybody makes mistakes. I?ve made mistakes as well. Who am I to hold a grudge?

I?m not promising a championship. I know how hard that is to deliver. We?re not ready right now. No way. Of course, I want to win next year, but I?m realistic. It will be a long process, much longer than it was in 2010. My patience will get tested. I know that. I?m going into a situation with a young team and a new coach. I will be the old head. But I get a thrill out of bringing a group together and helping them reach a place they didn?t know they could go. I see myself as a mentor now and I?m excited to lead some of these talented young guys. I think I can help Kyrie Irving become one of the best point guards in our league. I think I can help elevate Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters. And I can?t wait to reunite with Anderson Varejao, one of my favorite teammates.

But this is not about the roster or the organization. I feel my calling here goes above basketball. I have a responsibility to lead, in more ways than one, and I take that very seriously. My presence can make a difference in Miami, but I think it can mean more where I?m from. I want kids in Northeast Ohio, like the hundreds of Akron third-graders I sponsor through my foundation, to realize that there?s no better place to grow up. Maybe some of them will come home after college and start a family or open a business. That would make me smile. Our community, which has struggled so much, needs all the talent it can get.

In Northeast Ohio, nothing is given. Everything is earned. You work for what you have.

I?m ready to accept the challenge. I?m coming home.

[L-Pink]

Well written, nice move Mr. James

[seeandsee]

James fucking asshole got kicked by Spurs, and now he is coming home crying!

[TampaToker]

[Rochard]

Originally Posted by Mutt

In Northeast Ohio, nothing is given. Everything is earned. You work for what you have.

Is life in "Northeast Ohio" different than California? Or New Jersey? Or any other state for that matter?

[djroof]

Back at home??? New Jerseys, new marketing more cashhhhh

[Biggie Smalls Web Writing]

Originally Posted by seeandsee

James fucking asshole got kicked by Spurs, and now he is coming home crying!

Aj ne seri

[cosis]

Good move. To win a championship for Cleveland would be worth more than 5 in Miami.

[MiamiBoyz]

Fuck Him

[L-Pink]

Dwyane Wade really got fucked. He gave up a guaranteed 42 million over 2 years to help fund free agent money to improve the team and keep James. Now he's got to resign and with knees not as healthy as they were will probably get a lot less. All for nothing.

[WDF]

Originally Posted by cosis

Good move. To win a championship for Cleveland would be worth more than 5 in Miami.

Huh! He choked when given the chance to win the last championship with Miami.

The only reason he went to Miami was to win championships he bookend 2 with shitty performances in the others.

He has already stated he is not promising a championship for Cleveland, he knows he can't produce 1.

Rumor is Dwayne Wade would leave if he stayed and Cleveland offered him more cash to "Come Home".

Not that I give a small piece of Turd or even a half a fart about basketball but it is fucking up other programming today that I actually want to watch.

@KingJames

[TampaToker]

Originally Posted by L-Pink

Dwyane Wade really got fucked. He gave up a guaranteed 42 million over 2 years to help fund free agent money to improve the team and keep James. Now he's got to resign and with knees not as healthy as they were will probably get a lot less. All for nothing.

yeah just shows loyalty is not profitable.....

[cosis]

Originally Posted by WDF

Huh! He choked when given the chance to win the last championship with Miami.

The only reason he went to Miami was to win championships he bookend 2 with shitty performances in the others.

He has already stated he is not promising a championship for Cleveland, he knows he can't produce 1.

Rumor is Dwayne Wade would leave if he stayed and Cleveland offered him more cash to "Come Home".

Not that I give a small piece of Turd or even a half a fart about basketball but it is fucking up other programming today that I actually want to watch.

@KingJames

He didn't choke, it was basically one on five against the Spurs.

Go back to watching the Housewives

[lazycash]

Originally Posted by L-Pink

Dwyane Wade really got fucked. He gave up a guaranteed 42 million over 2 years to help fund free agent money to improve the team and keep James. Now he's got to resign and with knees not as healthy as they were will probably get a lot less. All for nothing.

If I was his agent I would never have advised him to opt out, even if his motives were to restructure his contract to help Miami's cap space. His knees don't have much left and he missed a third of last season, he's now worth only half of the money his guaranteed contract provided. He had a guaranteed 42 mil for the next 2 years and now he most likely won't make the sum of that over the remainder of his career. If I was Miami I wouldn't sign him and just use that money to rebuild with younger healthy players.

[nico-t]

around here only women and gays play korfball

[Dvae]

Originally Posted by Rochard

Is life in "Northeast Ohio" different than California? Or New Jersey? Or any other state for that matter?

You need to get out more. Comparing life in Cali to life in a shithole like Cleveland or Detroit. Are you on drugs?

[Dvae]

Originally Posted by cosis

Good move. To win a championship for Cleveland would be worth more than 5 in Miami.

He will retire at some point without having won another championship if he stays in Cleveland.

One player does not a team make.

[bluebook18]

LBJ is an smart ass, he realized that he can't win more ring for an aging roster of miami so 'coming home' is a good choice for him joining those young legs of cleveland. It's a nature of professional basketball but it can also create 'hates' by those who didn't know.

[WDF]

Originally Posted by cosis

He didn't choke, it was basically one on five against the Spurs.

Go back to watching the Housewives

He choked, the world knows it. You can have him, good luck with the championship you think he will bring.

[Spunky]

Still will make Cleveland a better team, a contender ? all about the money.he might have a couple more productive years left in him

[EngineCash]

He is the man on the mission... He and Kyrie are going to be fantastic I think...

[mineistaken]

Originally Posted by Rochard

Is life in "Northeast Ohio" different than California? Or New Jersey? Or any other state for that matter?

I am wondering what is the difference between NE Ohio and NW Ohio, as well as SE and SW

[mineistaken]

Originally Posted by Dvae

He will retire at some point without having won another championship if he stays in Cleveland.

One player does not a team make.

As far as I know Cleveland has 4 FIRST PICKS (one of the is King). Any other team ever had that at once?

As for chances: he reached the finals with Cleveland when he was younger. Now he has better game + better team (at least in the near future). So the chances are definitely there.

[mineistaken]

Originally Posted by Dvae

You need to get out more. Comparing life in Cali to life in a shithole like Cleveland or Detroit. Are you on drugs?

Nobody spoke about Detroit. So yeah - how is life really different?

[Dvae]

Originally Posted by mineistaken

Nobody spoke about Detroit. So yeah - how is life really different?

Let me ask you, have you been to Detroit? How about Cleveland or pick any NorthEastern city? I'm sure there are exceptions but for the most part people are moving out in droves for several reasons from cold weather to high taxes.
Most are shitholes, dead and dying.

Not the case in most if not all warm weather states.

[Captain Kawaii]

I hope that POS gets jumped.

[ManuteBol]

I like what he said about raising his family in his hometown, and I am stoked for Cleveland Fans, Lebron has a few big years left, right now their roster is sick, Deng, Irving, James, Thompson, Varejao, Waiters & Wiggins. If they can somehow get Kevin Love, without losing Wiggins, would be a miracle.

Even without Love, they are favored to Win the East, the only thing that is killing them is playoff experience and a new head coach, but Paul Westhead did it his first year coaching the Lakers in 81, so it's possible.

Lebron is going from one stacked team to another really.

[mineistaken]

Originally Posted by Dvae

Let me ask you, have you been to Detroit? How about Cleveland or pick any NorthEastern city? I'm sure there are exceptions but for the most part people are moving out in droves for several reasons from cold weather to high taxes.
Most are shitholes, dead and dying.

Not the case in most if not all warm weather states.

I ask you again, who spoke about Detroit?
Ok bad weather, different taxes.
How does that change anything much talking about quality of life - you work, you hangout with friends etc. It is the same. Sounds like you give way too much power to stereotypes.

[Sly]

Originally Posted by mineistaken

I ask you again, who spoke about Detroit?
Ok bad weather, different taxes.
How does that change anything much talking about quality of life - you work, you hangout with friends etc. It is the same. Sounds like you give way too much power to stereotypes.

It's not the same. This is something that non-Americans have a very difficult time understanding, many Americans also have a different time understanding until they live in a different location.

Every region of the country is different. Every state is different. Various pockets within a state are different. I have lived in four different states throughout the country, each and every one of them quite different.

It has nothing to do with stereotypes. It is history, geography, local culture, ancestral culture, local laws, local economy. Many different factors contribute to all of the different subcultures throughout the country.

[cosis]

Best player in the NBA

[bluebook18]

Originally Posted by mineistaken

As far as I know Cleveland has 4 FIRST PICKS (one of the is King). Any other team ever had that at once?

As for chances: he reached the finals with Cleveland when he was younger. Now he has better game + better team (at least in the near future). So the chances are definitely there.

Lebron was surrounded with veteran teammates during his cleveland finals appearance in 2007, gibson,snow,ilgauskas,gooden,varejao and the only old dirt guy left in Cavs right now is varejao and LBJ is carrying a young team on his shoulders at this moment, and yes they have 4 #1 pick including 'the king' but it takes time to be on that career stage.

If LBJ has a bucket of patience on the Cavs and not leaving them again then he can bring not one, not two, not three, not four, not five rings in the Cavs, LoL he already said that on Miami but at least he brings 2 championships, they might be a favorite team right now as media is flying everywhere but west is loaded with powerhouse teams so that's the big challenge for the king.

2007 Finals Spurs Vs Cavs 4-0

[mineistaken]

Originally Posted by bluebook18

Lebron was surrounded with veteran teammates during his cleveland finals appearance in 2007, gibson,snow,ilgauskas,gooden,varejao and the only old dirt guy left in Cavs right now is varejao and LBJ is carrying a young team on his shoulders at this moment, and yes they have 4 #1 pick including 'the king' but it takes time to be on that career stage.

If LBJ has a bucket of patience on the Cavs and not leaving them again then he can bring not one, not two, not three, not four, not five rings in the Cavs, LoL he already said that on Miami but at least he brings 2 championships, they might be a favorite team right now as media is flying everywhere but west is loaded with powerhouse teams so that's the big challenge for the king.

2007 Finals Spurs Vs Cavs 4-0

Well, bookmakers have Cavs as the top favorite to win NBA next season, so I really not sure where some of you guys are coming from with such a pessimistic view on their chances.

Cle 4/1; SA 5/1; OKC 6/1; Chi 7/1; Hou 8/1; LAC 10/1; Ind 18/1; GS, Por 25/1; Dal, LAL, Was 33/1

Cavs and James already played in finals and now they have better James + 3 more number one pick players, Irwing is growing etc.

[PR_Glen]

Originally Posted by Dvae

Let me ask you, have you been to Detroit? How about Cleveland or pick any NorthEastern city? I'm sure there are exceptions but for the most part people are moving out in droves for several reasons from cold weather to high taxes.
Most are shitholes, dead and dying.

Not the case in most if not all warm weather states.

I was in both yesterday...

both are cities and you are talking about a whole fucking state... there are great areas in michigan and ohio as well and plenty of shit hole areas in california so settle down over there...

[Lykos]

Will be interesting to see next seasons !

[Drake]

I just hope having Lebron back in Cleveland doesn't stifle the career of that upcoming superstar Canadian kid that just got drafted to the Cavs.

Wade was once a star in his own right but had to play second fiddle to Lebron when they became teammates.

[SBJ]

The only reason he is "returning home" this year is cause he sees the writing on the wall that "the big 3".. 2 of them are getting too old to win championships. No way would he left Miami this year if they had won again..

He sees the young talent the Cavs have now and decided it's time to try to get more rings

[cosis]

Go cavs!!

[sarettah]

[candyflip]

I wonder which SI writer wrote that for him.