In 2010, LeBron James infamously left Cleveland to the chagrin of Ohioans everywhere. He announced his intentions – to take his talents to South Beach – on national television. In 2014, after winning a pair of championships in Miami, James penned an essay informing fans that he was returning to Cleveland play for the Cavs. He titled his essay “I’m Coming Home,” and he edited it on a plane next to then-teammate and good friend Dwyane Wade, per Brian Windhorst and Dave McMenamin in their new book “Return of the King:”
(h/t Dan Feldman of NBCSports):
After watching the afternoon sessions of his camp, James went to McCarran International Airport and boarded a Nike-owned jet. Its destination was Miami, and Wade joined him on the flight, which had been previously arranged as he got a ride back home. Two days later, on Saturday, he was scheduled to go to Rio de Janeiro for the conclusion of the World Cup as part of a Nike promotion. On the plane were Nike personnel, some of James’s staff, and Wade. As the plane traveled east and night fell, James reviewed and made some changes to Jenkins’s first draft. But Wade was still not told.
James’ agent Rich Paul said the following:
“You can’t ask Dwyane to carry that [secret]. He couldn’t. It would’ve put him in a terrible position.”
