VIDEO: Remembering LeBron James' Infamous 'Decision' to Join Heat on its 9th Anniversary
By Sean Facey
There are moments that define a year in sports, and there are moments that define sports, period. Today marks the anniversary of one of those truly momentous occasions-- nine years ago today, LeBron James gave us "The Decision," the live ESPN event in which he announced at the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, Conn., that he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat.
Nine years ago today, LeBron announced "The Decision" to go to Miami. pic.twitter.com/Kp7etbEJqS
— ESPN (@espn) July 8, 2019
It was a move that drastically altered the NBA landscape. Teaming up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami berthed the next era of superteams in basketball. The trio went to four consecutive NBA Finals together, winning in 2012 and 2013. Few teams in NBA history have ever managed to accomplish such a successful run.
Those would be the only four years James spent with the Heat, however. After spurning his hometown team at the age of 25, he returned to the Cavaliers in summer 2014 as a two-time NBA champion ready to bring his team a title of their own. While back in Cleveland, he pieced together another stretch of four straight Finals appearances, taking home an unlikely championship in 2016.
A 13-year-old Donovan Mitchell was also at LeBron's Decision
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) July 8, 2019
“I was outside, so it was cool being there. I wanted him to go to Miami at that point, I wanted him to get a ring. I remember there were a lot of upset people there. There were a lot of Knicks fans.” - @spidadmitchell pic.twitter.com/2s5rg2K4rY
"The Decision" was controversial in its time, and will continue to live in infamy as a questionable public relations decision that made an unnecessary spectacle out of a sincere personal decision. But if we're being honest, if this TV special ends up being the worst thing LeBron ever did as a pro, he's doing pretty okay.