Getty Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James
LeBron James put in time with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
A native of Akron, Ohio, about 45 minutes from Cleveland, Wednesday was James’ first time playing against the Cavaliers since joining the Lakers in July.
After leading the Cavs to multiple NBA Finals appearances, James signed a 4 year-$154 million dollar deal with the purple and gold.
Wednesday’s game is the only one that James plays in Cleveland this season.
So, the Cavs gave James a tribute.
The Cavaliers will travel to Los Angeles in January to face James at Staples Center.
The Cleveland Cavalers’ first pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, James began his journey of facing his former teams on Sunday when he and the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat on Sunday.
James spent seven seasons in Cleveland in his first stint with the Cavs. He’d leave the team in 2010 and would join a super team comprised of himself, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
The way that James left Cleveland back in 2010 left Cavs fans very upset when he uttered 14 dreaded words that broke the hearts of fans in Cleveland: “I’m going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat.”
Cavaliers team owner, Dan Gilbert, vented his frustration writing a scathing letter where he scolded James by calling him a “Self-proclaimed King.”
He even compared James to Benedict Arnold and assured Cavalier fans that Cleveland would win a championship before James would. A group of former fans even burned James’ jersey in effigy after his announcement.
James spent four seasons with the Heat and won two championships.
James left in 2014 and returned to Cleveland, where he won a championship in 2016 with a Cavs trio of himself, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.