LeBron James Reflects on His Return to Cleveland and the Fan Reception

LeBron James faced a very different atmosphere when he returned to Cleveland in a Philadelphia 76ers jersey, compared with his return in 2010. The 41-year-old star had considered a third return to the Cavaliers over the summer, but chose to spend the final part of his career in Philadelphia. He received a generally warm welcome from the stands.

Asked about the attitude of Cleveland fans after the game, James recalled his first trip to Cleveland as a visiting player after joining the Miami Heat in 2010. He said that in terms of the welcome, nothing could be worse than that night.

When James returned to his former arena on December 2, 2010, after leaving Cleveland through The Decision broadcast, most of the fans reacted intensely. Security measures were raised to an extraordinary level, and an NBA security official, worried that the atmosphere might get out of control, raised the possibility of stopping the game. It was reported that the code name the private security team used for James was The Enemy. In that game, James scored 38 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and handed out 8 assists, leading the Miami Heat to a 118-90 win.

This time the scene was much calmer. Whenever he touched the ball in the first half, there were occasional boos, but there was no hostile atmosphere. As he left the game at the end of the fourth quarter, he received applause from the stands.

On the court, however, the result was negative for Philadelphia. The Cleveland Cavaliers won 119-95. James shot 3-of-12 from the field and 0-of-4 from three-point range, finishing with 8 points.