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LeBron James readying for reaction
By Michael Wallace
MIAMI -- LeBron James saw images of his Cavaliers jersey being burned the night he made his free agency decision to leave Cleveland to sign with the Miami Heat.
Eventually, he'd like to see that jersey hanging from the rafters in Quicken Loans Arena.
"Wow. Of course," James said Tuesday after the Heat's practice. "If that's something that organization and franchise would do, I'm all respectful of that. I just tried to be the best player I could be every night, whether I was in that Cavalier uniform, that USA uniform. If that results in me having my jersey retired that would be great."
But James knows that gesture probably won't happen anytime soon. Instead, the Heat forward expects to be the target of plenty of heckling and hard feelings feelings from disgruntled fans when he makes his first trip to Cleveland on Thursday to face his former team. Former Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who spent his first 14 years in Cleveland before following James to Miami in free agency, is also anxious about this week's homecoming.
"I'm ready for whatever response I'm going to get," James said. "It's going to be very emotional. I give a lot of thanks to that city, a lot of thanks to those fans for giving me the opportunity to not only showcase my talent, but to grow from a young boy to a man during my seven years. So it's going to be very emotionally draining. I can tell already."
James said it will be difficult to not overlook the Heat's home game on Wednesday against Detroit, considering the anticipation leading into his return to his home state. But a tight schedule for Miami over the next 72 hours might help to calm some of that anxiety. The Heat will travel from Miami to Cleveland after Wednesday's game and arrive early Thursday morning in Cleveland.
The Heat will be northeast Ohio for less than 20 hours. James said that would only leave enough time for him to sleep, get up for the team's breakfast meeting and then fall asleep again. A range of emotions could keep James restless most of the day leading to tip-off.
"It's going to be fun, but at the same time it's going to be very emotionally draining," James said. "It's going to be difficult. It's going to be funny though, being in a different uniform, being in the visiting locker room, starting off on the other end of the court, sitting on the other end of the bench."
James left Cleveland as the franchise's career leader in scoring, field goals made, free throws made and attempted, steals, triple doubles and minutes played. The two-time league MVP led the Cavaliers to their lone trip to the NBA Finals in 2007, where they lost in four games to San Antonio.
James said he would do his pregame ritual of tossing powder into the air at the scorer's table on Thursday. The reception will certainly be different from the ovation he had been accustomed to receiving while with the Cavaliers.
In Cleveland, James' former teammate Shaquille O'Neal, whose Boston Celtics were playing the Cavs on Tuesday, said he was waiting to see if LeBron would skip the powder ritual on Thursday. "I'm a silly fan," O'Neal said. "I'm anxious to see if he's going to do that powder thing."
O'Neal, who has felt the wrath of fans after leaving Orlando and Los Angeles, can't wait to find out. "We have bets that he doesn't do it," he said.
The Heat and the NBA have increased security for the team this season, but there will be even more measures taken to protect James and his teammates during their stay in Cleveland. Heat forward Chris Bosh said it's beneficial that Miami will play the Cavaliers on the second night of a back-to-back set, which decreases the free time players will have in Cleveland.
"That's definitely something we've been talking about," Bosh said. "I think we all watched TV, and I think they took it quite hard when he left. So some people -- I don't know why -- but in sports, some people take it personal.
"Sometimes when you have an extra day to hang around, it's no telling what -- you want to feel safer," Bosh added. "That's not to speak for the whole city of Cleveland. But just like in every city, I'm sure it's people that have malcontent on their mind. With the fact that we're going in on the second night of a back to back, that lets us not have as much down time. Just get in, play our game and get out of there."
Heat guard Dwyane Wade, who is as close to James as any player in the league, said it will be important for James to remain loose and maintain his normal process of preparing for a game.
"The only thing I would say to him is to not go out there and try to score 100 points," Wade said. "We've got to win. That's the most fun about anything. As long as you win, you walk out of there, you smile, we get the chicken wings that they have in the arena -- they got some of the best chicken wings that the NBA has. We just got to win."
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/trueho...ory?id=5867302
lol
"Won't happen anytime soon"? Yeah right. After THE DECISION the only way that jersey is ever hanging from the rafters is if Lebron's ass is still in in.
they probably raise his jersey to the rafters and then burn it..
Cleveland should retire LeBron's jersey.
He was their greatest player and took them to their only NBA Finals in history, made them relevant.
If they don't, it will only look bad upon themselves
,
Don't hold your breath.
I'm sure Cleveland would happily raise Lebron's jersey up in their rafters.
With him still in it of course.
Big Z is the only one on Miami who'll have their jersey retired as a Cav
i hope i can bang natasha nice as well. not gonna happen
You are sucha ing homer.
Seriously who the this clown thinks he is
No, getting swept in the Finals looked bad upon themselves.
Retiring a guy's jersey for doing so is just asinine.
for the kiiiiiddddddddsssssssssssssss please do it
Of course the Cavaliers should retire LeBron's number.
But first he should admit to tanking the Boston series and apologize to the organization and the fans for that.
Then he should apologize for the way he handled his free agency.
After that, raise the er to the rafters IFAIC.
The only was this happens is if he returns to Cleveland after his current contract expires or as his career nears an end.
i agree, James jersey should retire at the place he had the most success. Its obvious that Miami is gonna be a failed experiment and even MiamiHeat knows this. Thats why he is suggesting that the cavs do it. Cuz Miami is gonna suck for the next 8 years.
They won't do it as long as the slave owner, Dan Gilbert, is their owner..it also hurts that their fanbase is full of terrible, bitter fans..
Taking a team to the Finals, an ECF, multiple semis, 60+ win seasons, winning multiple MVPs, being the best player in the league while wearing that jersey, getting them attention they could never have dreamed of..
Having your jersey retired doesn't require top-10 all-time credentials..you don't have to be a Jordan or Magic or Kareem to have your jersey retired..it's based on what you did for the franchise, particularly in comparison to the other players that have been with that particular franchise..for instance, the Spurs, a franchise with 4 les, retired Avery Johnson's jersey
Lebron obviously did more for their franchise than any player ever has, and the Cavs will never even approach that again..I would be surprised if Cleveland still has an NBA team in 5 years..
Yup, it's all butthurt Cleveland fans. That must be why LeBron gets booed in every arena in the league. Among other things.
Seriously, do you actually believe the stuff you post or is this just some kind of trolling shtick?
Where did I say that he isn't hated by most NBA fans?..
They won't do it as long as the slave owner, Dan Gilbert, is their owner..it also hurts that their fanbase is full of terrible, bitter fans..
Taking a team to the Finals, an ECF, multiple semis, 60+ win seasons, winning multiple MVPs, being the best player in the league while wearing that jersey, getting them attention they could never have dreamed of..
Having your jersey retired doesn't require top-10 all-time credentials..you don't have to be a Jordan or Magic or Kareem to have your jersey retired..it's based on what you did for the franchise, particularly in comparison to the other players that have been with that particular franchise..for instance, the Spurs, a franchise with 4 les, retired Avery Johnson's jersey
Lebron obviously did more for their franchise than any player ever has, and the Cavs will never even approach that again..I would be surprised if Cleveland still has an NBA team in 5 years..
I guess you haven't heard..kinda surprised your buddy Ace didn't tell you...Nobody respects your ing opinion around here anymore HarHo...you done ed up you know...you ran and hid your ass in a closet and you only come out after the Heat beat a scrub team...your done Harho ole boy...it's over...You know you done ed up right...
I'm gonna ask you some real simple Questions Harlem Ho and I want some real simple answers:
I guess you haven't heard..kinda surprised your buddy Ace didn't tell you...Nobody respects your ing opinion around here anymore HarHo...you done ed up you know...you ran and hid your ass in a closet and you only come out after the Heat beat a scrub team...your done Harho ole boy...it's over...You know you done ed up right...
I'm gonna ask you some real simple Questions Harlem Ho and I want some real simple answers:
Harlem in your brief absence Kool was worried about you in a creepy man love kinda way.
TBH, I think he feels like we have some kind of friendship now, since I showed everybody how Luva treats him..he feels like he has an ally now, IMO..I don't like to get involved in other people's relationships though, I was just pointing it out to show Luva's similarities to Tony Parker..
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