A crowd of more than 2,000 excited fans welcomed home three-time NBA champion LeBron James on Monday afternoon.
The atmosphere around Northeast Ohio was electric all day after James, an Akron, Ohio native, led the Cavaliers to the NBA championship on Sunday night in Oakland with a 93-89 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals.
“Oh wow, oh my God,” James said with a huge grin on his face as he stepped out of a large, black limo van on Crystal Lake Drive, which straddles Copley Township, Fairlawn and James’ home in Bath, Ohio.
“How unbelievable are you guys? When I came back two years ago I said I had one goal, and that was to bring a championship to this city. And last night me and my 14 teammates and my coaching staff, we did that. We are the first team ever in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 deficit.”
James then paused as fans roared. A couple of supporters shouted: “We love you.”
To which James replied: “I love y’all too. You guys are unbelievable. That championship wasn’t just for us — the 15 guys, the coaching staff and everybody that travelled with us. That championship last night was for everybody in Northeast Ohio and you guys should feel proud about it.”
A young fan yelled: “Thank you” in the direction of the icon who arrived with a police escort. James smiled and finished his minute and a half chat by saying: “And lastly because I am so tired, I haven’t slept at all, I am going to take a long nap, but before that I just always want you guys to remember that I am just a kid from Akron, Ohio.”
James final comments sent the crowd into a tizzy as DJ Brian Hostler replayed the song I’m Coming Home by Skylar Grey, which was heard on the loudspeakers earlier in the day along with other popular songs such as Happy by Pharrell Williams, Turn Down For What by DJ Snake & Lil Jon and Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars. “This was really emotional, especially with the music that is playing,” fan Chantel Edmonds said as Queen’s We Are The Champions played. “It is crazy to see somebody who grew up in the same town as you succeed like this.”
Stephen Parker, 5, and Derrick Kruger, 7, stood alongside Edmonds and were thrilled to see their idol in person. “LeBron is so good,” Parker said of James, who had 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in Game 7 after 41-point performances in Game 5 and 6 wins.
Said Kruger: “LeBron played with so much heart and brought a championship to Akron.”
The LeBron James Family Foundation organised the welcome home party, with a large number of the crowd stationed on Crystal Lake Drive and Idlebrook Drive. About half of the spectators wore free green Nike “WE ARE FAMILY” T-shirts. Scores of additional fans showed up wearing wine, gold, blue and white Cavs jerseys, championship t-shirts and championship hats.
James’ No. 23 jersey was a popular sight amongst the crowd, which included jersey numbers 2 (Kyrie Irving), 0 (Kevin Love), 13 (Tristan Thompson) and 5 (J.R. Smith). Fan Ryan Isley said he got his championship gear at a nearby Dick’s Sporting Goods on Sunday night. All area Dick’s were crowded with Cavs fans Monday seeking items.
“I saw The Drive, The Fumble, The Shot, 1995, 1997 and The Decision,” Isley said. “It just flowed through me that a Cleveland team just won a championship and the kid from Akron is the one who brought it to them. It is amazing as a kid from Akron myself to sit here and watch what he does for this city year in and year out, even when he was in Miami (winning two titles with the Heat.” Siearra Douglas and Malika Rice also ventured out into the 90-degree temperatures to see James an hour after the Cavs plane arrived at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
“After 52 years of losing, we finally won,” Douglas said. Rice joked, “The Lake Erie Monsters won [a minor league hockey title] because they didn’t have Cleveland in their name. Now, we have broken the curse and we can actually try to win more championships [with the Indians and Browns].” Hostler played music as fans of all ages danced and held high Cavs posters and flags.
“I got an e-mail about this event at 9:30 this morning,” Hostler said. “I was glad to clear my schedule and be here. I do all of the events for LeBron. This was amazing. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Even if they come back and do it again next year, it will not be the same as that first time. It was nice to be a part of this and I got to bring my kids Cody, Camden, Colsen and Callie out to see it.”
The Cavs are scheduled to attend a parade in Cleveland on Wednesday and a celebratory event at Lock 3 is expected to take place in downtown Akron later this week. “We are ecstatic,” said Hope Weisburn, who lives in the same neighbourhood as James.
“We can’t believe we are witnessing this in our lifetime. We have tried so many times and come so close in different sports. ... Once LeBron and Kyrie started to click, the team the past three games played unbelievable basketball.”


LeBron makes case for all-time best with historic Finals
LeBron James ensured his place among the NBA’s all-time legends by leading the Cleveland Cavaliers in the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history and has made a solid case for being the greatest player ever. The 31-year-old forward scored 27 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and passed out 11 assists to power Cleveland’s 93-89 victory over defending champion Golden State in game seven of the NBA Finals. With size, strength and speed that enable him to muscle his way to the hoop and finesse as a passer to make teammates a threat from anywhere on the court, James has made himself the dominant player of his era, reaching the NBA Finals six years in a row.
Michael Jordan pushed the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles in the 1990s with remarkable athletic skill and determination, setting the “best ever” standard for many fans over such icons as Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Boston Celtics 1960s big man Bill Russell won a record 11 NBA titles in an era of domination no team is likely to repeat, while Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal both excelled but often with help, sometimes from each other.
But James unleashed a magical comeback in the past week unseen in the NBA’s 70-year history.
No team had ever rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win the best-of-seven NBA Finals until he lifted the Cavaliers to deliver the NBA’s greatest shocker, ending his city’s 52-year wait for a major sports champion. James matched Johnson, O’Neal and Tim Duncan as three-time NBA Finals most valuable players. Only Jordan with six has more. Calling that group “the greatest to ever do it,” James was tearful about his place in the conversation with them.
“I’m going to be in awe,” he said.
“It’s going to be like being at a Beyonce concert. I’m going to be like this,” he added, adopting a starstruck expression.
Having unleashed back-to-back 41-point performances at the Warriors to lift the Cavaliers from a 3-1 deficit in the best-of-seven series, James delivered perhaps the greatest clutch effort in NBA Finals history, joining Jerry West and James Worthy with the only game seven “triple doubles” in NBA Finals history. “You put everything into the game. The game always gives back to people that are true to the game,” James said. “I know the history of the game and I was just confident and calm.”
The Cavaliers ousted an ultimate foe that won a record 73 regular-season games and boasted the NBA’s top scorer and two-time most valuable player in Stephen Curry. James was an unprecedented leader in every major finals statistical area, averaging 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.3 blocked shots a game.