July 11th 2014 will be marked as a glorious day in Cleveland sports history as LeBron James announced that he is coming back to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The deciding factor in James coming back to Cleveland and leaving the Miami Heat was his love and appreciation for Northeast Ohio. On the homepage of his web site, the statement reads “Just A Kid From Akron Ohio.”
So despite on how things may look at this moment, there’s reasons to be optimistic that we have not seen the end of the Miami Heat’s dynasty, despite the lackluster performance in the Finals.
Below is an excerpt from the letter James wrote on his return to Cleveland on si.com where he expresses how much Northeast Ohio means to him.
“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.”
Once news broke on James returning to Cleveland, fans were in the Cleveland area were ecstatic. Fans were celebrating in the streets and had signs saying “Welcome Back”. This was a far cry from the scene four years ago when James announced he was taking his talents to South Beach, and fans were burning his jersey.
But now all is forgiven on both sides and James and Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert had made amends and admitted they both made mistakes.
It has been a rough four year for the Cavaliers since James left for Miami. In the last four seasons, the Cavaliers have won a total of 97 games. In comparison, in James last two seasons with Cavaliers, they won 127 games. But now the king has returned to his Kingdom.
Not only do the Cavaliers have the best player in the league back, but they also get their all-time leader in points, steals, and they instantly become one of the favorites in the East next season. Although the projected Cavaliers roster heading into next season is arguably better than the roster James took to the Finals in 2007, he knows it’s not going to be easy to win a championship.
Here’s another excerpt from the si.com article where James address this point.
“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.”
Time will tell if James will be able to bring Cleveland their first championship in over half a century, but right now all Cleveland fans care about is the last statement James made in his letter.
“I’m ready to accept the challenge. I’m coming home.”