LeBron James Friday afternoon in a first-person piece on SI.com announced he is going to sign with the Cavaliers. He wrote he will not be having a “press conference or a party” to announce the move, and is using the essay, which was written with SI’s Lee Jenkins, to explain himself “uninterrupted.” James wrote, “My goal is still to win as many titles as possible, no question. But what’s most important for me is bringing one trophy back to Northeast Ohio.” He added, “I feel my calling here goes above basketball. I have a responsibility to lead, in more ways than one, and I take that very seriously. My presence can make a difference in Miami, but I think it can mean more where I’m from.”
James thanked Heat Owner Micky Arison and President Pat Riley “for giving me an amazing four years” in Miami. He also noted he has met with Cavaliers Owner Dan Gilbert “face-to-face, man-to man.” Gilbert famously wrote a scathing letter concerning James when he left the Cavs in '10, but James said, “We’ve talked it out. Everybody makes mistakes. I’ve made mistakes as well. Who am I to hold a grudge?” (SI.com, 7/11).
The Cleveland Plain Dealer cover on Saturday will feature a drawing of James' pre-game chalk ritual with the closing lines from the SI.com piece. Meanwhile, ESPN has brought back a "SportsCenter" ad shot during James' previous stint with the Cavaliers that depicts Scott Van Pelt stealing his office chair (THE DAILY).
