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Off the jet but still sky-high, LeBron brings title home
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LEBRON James stepped off the plane and into a blizzard of red-and-gold confetti before hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy. It gleamed in the summer sun, a symbol of hope and history.
As promised, James brought home a championship, one on hold the past 52 years. “This is for you, Cleveland,” James shouted into a microphone.
The superstar, born and raised in nearby Akron, powered the Cavaliers to a never-seen-before comeback in the NBA finals, bringing them back from a 1-3 deficit to beat the Golden State Warriors in the best-of-7 series.
On Monday, more than 10,000 gathered at Hopkins International Airport welcomed James and his teammates, who made a pit stop in Las Vegas for late-night partying before completing this unlikeliest June journey.
The Cavs not only defied the odds to make history, but they ended Cleveland’s pro sports title drought stretching to 1964, when the Browns won an National Football League title.
It’s been a surreal ride for Clevelanders and shortly after showing fans the trophy from afar, James, the four-time league MVP, paraded it around the perimeter of the parking lot so fans behind the fence could see they weren’t dreaming.
“I kept waking up during the night and saying, ‘Did we really win’?” said Diana Beetler of Oberlin. “I couldn’t believe it. I’ve never had a championship since I was born. We’ve been waiting years and years for this.”
It seems the entire city choked up after James capped his MVP series with a sensational Game 7, a triple-double performance that will long be remembered for his chase-down block of Warriors forward Andre Iguodala in the final minutes — a rejection that seemed to erase so many bad memories in Cleveland.
James’ emotional reaction following the game seemed to strike a chord with everyone. He broke down crying several times, overwhelmed by the magnitude of what he had accomplished and what he knew it meant to Northeast Ohio.
“It was unbelievable,” said Indians manager Terry Francona, who helped the Boston Red Sox end their 86-year World Series dry spell. “I almost enjoy that part of it as much. Watching the genuine emotion come out. So often, when guys are talking, it’s saying the right thing. I get it. I’m supposed to do it, too. It’s just part of the job. But to see the genuine emotion come out was pretty cool.”
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