One of the NBA's greatest mysteries is why it took LeBron James 9 years to win his first NBA championship. Within these years, he achieved three league MVPs, eight All-Star appearances, six All-NBA First Team, and even an NBA Finals appearance in 2007.
However, a championship season never manifested. LVJ left the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010 for another Eastern Conference team — the Miami Heat — and made it to the Finals in year 1. Miami infamously lost to the Dallas Mavericks in six games, which forced the former Cav to take lessons and fuel motivation. No. 6, and the Heat got back into the Finals in his second season — and they won it this time.
"Losing in the Finals last year put me back in place," James said after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games. "It humbled me a lot. I was able to go back to the basics. A lot of people had a lot to do with it. But at the end of the day, I just looked at myself in the mirror and said, 'You need to be better.' Both on and off the floor. I'm happy I was able to put myself and our team in a position to win this."
A matter of time
James' decision to sign as a free agent with the Heat to team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh didn't sit well with the Cleveland supporters. They burnt his jerseys, reacted in pain, called him a traitor, and even wished for him to suffer a career-ending injury.
The league MVP needed a chance to win a championship, and the Cavs couldn't offer that in the end. During his tenure with the Cavaliers, LeBron's best sidekick was Carlos Boozer. However, their short-lived partnership lasted only one season before Boozer signed with the Utah Jazz.
"The Chosen One" faced a critical juncture when he could not convince Bosh to join him or persuade the Cavaliers to trade for Chris Paul. With no other elite free agents available to fill the role of a much-needed 'Robin,' the 25-year-old had limited options.
Ultimately, his move to the Heat was a basketball decision driven by his desire to compete at the highest level and win championships. It meant the world to him when he finally won that elusive championship.
"It means everything," James added. "I made a difficult decision to leave Cleveland. But I understood what my future was about. I understood that coming to Miami and being a part of this organization and being able to put together this team. I knew we had a bright future. This is a dream come true for me. I've been through a lot the last two years but this is definitely the way that it pays off."
Related: Shams Charania provides a stoic response to the GOAT debate: "I believe that the greatest of all time is an experience"
A memorable Miami run
Was Miami LeBron the greatest LeBron? Most fans would answer a resounding yes. Following his success with the Heat in 2012, James secured his second NBA championship in 2013, putting together back-to-back seasons, achieving the league MVP and Finals MVP — a feat not seen in the NBA since Michael Jordan.
Over four seasons in South Beach, the 'Kid from Akron' appeared in 294 games and averaged 26.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.7 assists. He captured four straight NBA Finals appearances — winning two — and two league MVPs. In a snapshot, No. 6's Miami run can be best characterized by his striking performance in Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals.
He took down the Boston big-3 and stood up to pressure perhaps better than any player, scoring 45 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. Weeks later, he stood up on the stage with his first Larry O'Brien trophy and exclaimed, "It's about damn time."
After his fourth season with the Heat in 2014, LeBron opted out of his contract with bigger aspirations. He re-upped with Cleveland in pursuit of his promise and finally led the franchise to its first NBA championship in 2016.“It humbled me a lot” - How LeBron’s first championship taught him his greatest lesson
Related: Dwyane Wade on watching LeBron James still play at a high level: "I'm trying to see what I did wrong in life"
Most Popular
Comments / 0