First the Cavs owner blasted his decision to go to Miami, then his billboards were defaced and patrons wearing his jersey were shunned. Apparently, LeBron has had enough. He created a full page ad to let the fans in his hometown to know, he still has love for them.
It took him a few weeks, but LeBron James decided it was time to express his thanks for some of the people in Ohio who supported him.
King James took out a full-page ad in the Akron Beacon Journal Tuesday, thanking the people of his hometown, Akron – and nobody else.
“For all my life, I have lived in Akron – and for that, I am a truly lucky man,” the letter reads.
James makes no mention of Cleveland, the city where he played for the Cavaliers for the first seven years of his NBA career, before making a jump to the Miami Heat.
“Akron is my home, and the central focus of my life,” James says. “It’s where I started, and it’s where I will always come back to.”
The ad has no pictures of LeBron in a Cavs uniform, or playing basketball, for that matter. The only shots of James are of him at his annual charity bike ride. There were rumors that he would be skipping this year’s “King for Kids Bikeathon,” which takes place Saturday, but LeBron says he will be in attendance.
James’ love letter to Akron comes on the heels of strong anti-LeBron sentiment in Cleveland. After James announced he was leaving to go to Miami, his Cavs jersey was burned and shirts bearing the phrase “We are all Quitnesses” flew off the shelves. The shirts refer to the mural of James in downtown Cleveland, picturing him tossing powder into the air. Writing above the image said “We are all Witnesses.” The mural was torn down shortly after LeBron announced he was leaving.
One of James’ teammates was a little more gracious towards Cleveland upon his departure.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas took out an ad in Sunday’s Cleveland Plain Dealer thanking the fans of Cleveland for their support during his 12 years there. Ilgauskas is joining LeBron in Miami next season.
“I realize how lucky I was to have grown up in a place like Cleveland. All of you have taught me the importance of family and friends; of pulling together to get things done; of loving your country,” Ilgauskas said. The 7-3 center came to the United States from Lithuania when he was 21.
“But as I enter the last few years of my career, I felt I owed it to myself and my family to chase my dream of winning an NBA championship. I hope you understand,” the two-time All-Star said.
He better say he loves them folks. He won’t be able to take his a** home if he doesn’t. And what would Delonte West do, if his stepson couldn’t come home? LOL!!
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