NBA free agent LeBron James announced Thursday that he will play for the Miami Heat in one of the most anticipated free-agent announcements in sports history.
James said he made his final decision Thursday morning, after speaking with his mother.
"Once I had that conversation with her I think I was set," James told sportscaster Jim Gray.
The six-time NBA all-star and two-time league MVP said the chance to play alongside fellow stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami affected his decision.
Editorial cartoons, billboards and even quips from President Obama have accompanied the courting of "King James."
Speculation began to intensify last week over where the NBA's most sought-after free agent would choose to play after he started meeting with six teams vying for him: the New York Knicks, the New Jersey Nets, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Chicago Bulls, the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers - the team he has spent his entire career with.
eatocracy: Dear LeBron, come for the hoops, stay for the grub
Rumors that the Miami Heat was the leading contender to grab James began to emerge this week, with Newsday's Alan Hahn tweeting the news after midnight Thursday.
In an interview in June with CNN's Larry King, James, 25, said Cleveland would have an "edge" if they tried to retain him after he became a free agent.
James has spent his entire seven-year career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who drafted him out of high school in 2003.
"This city, these fans, I mean, have given me a lot in these last seven years... for me, it's comfortable," said James, who grew up in nearby Akron, Ohio. "I've got a lot of memories here. So it does have an edge."
But the six-time NBA all-star also said he's seeking an NBA title and wants to play with a team that can win more than one NBA championship. The Cavaliers were bounced from the second round of this year's playoffs by the Boston Celtics.
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I am happy and I’ll be going to some games. I know they haven’t won anything and will be running thin on money for the rest of the team; but it’s not the same when you buy it.
HAHAHAHA!
How sweet it is to see LeBronadict Arnold stick it to the downtrodden bottom feeding louts that are fans of any Cleveland professional sports team.
Finally, John Elway and Art Modell have passed the torch as most hated person in the Mistake By The Lake!
Couldn't happen to a better city.
As the old Glenn Frey song put it ... "Tell me can you feel it, tell me can you feel it ... FEEL THE HEAT!!!"
I'm not a fan of any of the potential teams, but feel the best way to describe Lebron's actions in this whole free agency is "egotistical and classless".
WHO CARES ABOUT ANOTHER OVERPAID, SPOILED ATHLETE.
lets go lakers!
The Lakers will still beat them in seven games !!
Want to bet?
Hope the heat chokes..... anything they win at this point is worthless. They better win it all every year or they are complete failures. No excuse for anything less.
James enjoyed all the attention of teams trying to sign him, but there is bound to be resentment from those who chased after him, kissing his–feet, even from the team owners who succeeded.. There is going to be a lot of bad feelings in Cleveland and New York. He was admired before but never again. I for one Cav fan am glad to see him go. There was far too much hoopla over "King James."
may the heats entire team catch disease from lebrons mother
Lebron is no longer on the same Caliber as Jordan, Bryant, Magic
he is the same caliber as a player, but not as a person. This was a case of players creating the team. Bad precedence for the league.
I am not a Heat fan, but damn, what an awesome trio. Lebron's teammates let him down, he would have stayed if they had won the championship.
HAH! Have fun selling your absolutely ridiculously massive house in this market.
Yeah, he is really worried about money.....
against the heat root for planes falling from the sky and broken sticks!!! long live the ring bearer james not
Lebron = sell out
Too many egos in Miami now. There is no ring in their future!
HAHAHA, Miami is going to win it all. ESPN is calling this a Super Team. This is going to help out the Miami economy big time.
ask the yankees how many times their super teams have one when they were supposed to
and then ask yourself will Lebron be able to be humble as second fiddle in miami behind dwade...waht if one or all get hurt....no way its a garantee