LeBron Hopes Cavs Will Retire His Jersey

[Legacy]

LeBron James is preparing for an emotional return to Cleveland as a member of the visiting team on Thursday night.

 

He was asked on Tuesday whether he'd eventually like to see his jersey hanging in the rafters at Quicken Loans Arena.

 

"Wow. Of course," James said. "If that's something that organization and franchise would do, I'm all respectful of that. I just tried to be the best player I could be every night, whether I was in that Cavalier uniform, that USA uniform. If that results in me having my jersey retired that would be great."

 

James added that he'll be ready for whatever response he receives when the Heat battle the Cavaliers in Cleveland later this week.

 

"I'm ready for whatever response I'm going to get," James said. "It's going to be very emotional. I give a lot of thanks to that city, a lot of thanks to those fans for giving me the opportunity to not only showcase my talent, but to grow from a young boy to a man during my seven years. So it's going to be very emotionally draining. I can tell already."

Source

[fish7718]

Actions speak louder than words LeBron, you ruined this when you broke the hearts of the fans on national TV. You made your bed, sleep in it.

[*Swish*]

LOOOOOL made me laugh. Fans will burn his retired jersey

http://www.opposingviews.com/attachments/0007/0803/cavaliers-fans-burn-lebron-james-jersey-d2938d31f250f9b5_large.jpg?1279737435

[Built Ford Tough]

To be fair, he never actually said that he hopes Cleveland retires his jersey, at least from what is posted above. He just said that it would be a great honor and would love to see it happen.

 

He puts his foot in his mouth an awful lot, especially over the past 6 months, but I don't really see anything wrong about what he said here. He is simply saying that he would love to see his number retired. He probably will never have it retired because of the way that he left, but players have had their jerseys retired for less than what he accomplished in Cleveland.

[Cleveland's Finest]

We should treat him the way he treated us.

[Check my Stats]

Number 23 should be in the rafters.

[Hawks Fly High]

Lol at all these butthurt Cleveland fans, yeah i dont like Lebron, but give credit where it is deserved. He did more good for the city than bad. He got you more wins in one season than you will get in the next 2. He deserves to be in rafters.

[ballorama]

I think it DESERVES to be retired.. eventually when it's all over with. It will.

[Lkr]

Cleveland has been owned by two #23s

[Guest STL10]

Retire his jersey for what reason?

 

For humiliating Cleveland on national TV?

 

For lying to his hometown?

 

For quitting in numerous playoff games?

 

I bet Cavs fans would rather retire Jordan's 23 instead of LeFraud...

[AboveLegit]

I hate LBJ as much as the next guy, but damn, some of these posts are ridiculous.

 

Am I the only one that remembers LeBron taking a mediocre Cavs team to the Finals? He's done so much for that city, yes, he should get his jersey retired there. Will he? Probably not, but that's only due to how butthurt everyone is over his decision.

[Guru]

Should they retire it for his actions on the court? Absolutely

Will they? [expletive] no lol.

[Guest STL10]

I hate LBJ as much as the next guy, but damn, some of these posts are ridiculous.

 

Am I the only one that remembers LeBron taking a mediocre Cavs team to the Finals? He's done so much for that city, yes, he should get his jersey retired there. Will he? Probably not, but that's only due to how butthurt everyone is over his decision.

 

He took them to the Finals only to get swept? After beating a injury-ridden Pistons team?

 

Stop the excuses...

[Check my Stats]

Retire his jersey for what reason?

 

For humiliating Cleveland on national TV?

 

For lying to his hometown?

 

For quitting in numerous playoff games?

 

I bet Cavs fans would rather retire Jordan's 23 instead of LeFraud...

 

For being the best player that team has ever had.

[Hawks Fly High]

Retire his jersey for what reason?

 

For humiliating Cleveland on national TV?

 

For lying to his hometown?

 

For quitting in numerous playoff games?

 

I bet Cavs fans would rather retire Jordan's 23 instead of LeFraud...

 

1. Please stop mentioning Micheal Jordan in every post in every goddamn topic. We all get it hes the greatest and not one player in the future can even touch him.

2.He humiliated Cleveland, but Cleveland is also humiliating themselves by stooping to his level. Not the classiest thing to do, but yeah like i said before, all the good he did balances the bad out with a lot left...

3. Name 3 games he quit in besides the one against Boston last year, where he still had a triple double.

 

And before you say, no I am not a Lebron dickrider I just feel like credit should be given where it deserves to be.

[Guest STL10]

For being the best player that team has ever had.

 

Also the biggest traitor the team ever had.

 

They will retire his jersey, but not until 40 years later...

[Guest STL10]

1. Please stop mentioning Micheal Jordan in every post in every goddamn topic. We all get it hes the greatest and not one player in the future can even touch him.

2.He humiliated Cleveland, but Cleveland is also humiliating themselves by stooping to his level. Not the classiest thing to do, but yeah like i said before, all the good he did balances the bad out with a lot left...

3. Name 3 games he quit in besides the one against Boston last year, where he still had a triple double.

 

And before you say, no I am not a Lebron dickrider I just feel like credit should be given where it deserves to be.

 

1. Done

2. He had his decision on NATIONAL TV announcing he was leaving Cleveland.

3. Game 6 vs. Orlando in the ECF, Game 4 vs Orlando in the ECF, and Game 2 against the Spurs in the Finals.

 

In all of those games he just looked like he gave up at the end.

[Hawks Fly High]

Also the biggest traitor the team ever had.

 

They will retire his jersey, but not until 40 years later...

He has done more for Cleveland in 7 years than Dirk did for Dallas lol. Dirk should be embarrassed for letting Dwade and the Heat come back after being 2-0 down. One of the biggest choke jobs in basketball history I would say. Dont even bring up the finals that lebron got swept because he went up against a very very good San Antonio team with literally no help.

[Hawks Fly High]

1. Done

2. He had his decision on NATIONAL TV announcing he was leaving Cleveland.

3. Game 6 vs. Orlando in the ECF, Game 4 vs Orlando in the ECF, and Game 2 against the Spurs in the Finals.

 

In all of those games he just looked like he gave up at the end.

Show me some evidence buddy. Words dont really mean much to me. All i see right now is stats and..

 

Game 4: 44 points, 7 assists, 12 rebounds. If he gave up thats just a little big scary

Game 6: 25 Points, 7 assists, 7 rebounds. This he could do nothing about, when Dwight Howard hits 12 of 16 free throws en route to 40 points and 14 rebounds, you know things are going his way.

Game 2: 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Only 25 points! Oh my god he gave up against probably a top 3 best defensive team of all time. The Spurs had 3 people with 23+ points and Lebron had Boobie Gibson with 15 points. Not a very fair comparison ^_^

[Cleveland's Finest]

Feed me all the stats you want, but you don't honor a guy who destroyed your franchise and took away all of the possible title runs we could've had in years to come.

 

You guys all appreciate what he did for Cleveland, but ask any Cleveland fan, and they could care less. That's what matters. No one in this franchise, from management to fans, is thinking about retiring his number right now. He screwed the franchise and doesn't deserve squat. What he did overrides what he did on the court. It's not going to change.

 

When you retire someone's number, you not only honor them as a performer, you honor them as a person. As a person, the character of LeBron and his actions give him no right to have his jersey honored.

Edited December 1, 2010 by Cleveland's Finest

[Hawks Fly High]

Lebron did what was best for Lebron in his own mind. Cleveland doesn't OWN Lebron he can leave and go build a championship somewhere else. The manner he left was hurtful, but people have to move on. Honestly, if you dont appreciate Lebron i can't respect you as a basketball fan. Fans would kill for a player like Lebron even if it was just for 7 years. 7 great years. Take a step back and think how much happiness he brought: 2 MVPS, 60 win seasons, Trip to the Finals. I as a Hawk fan would take Lebron for 7 years in a heartbeat. You wont win as many games as you win in the past 2 years in the next 4. After every loss to a .500 team remember that Lebron was the one who propelled Cleveland to wins in those games and appreciate what hes done.

[AboveLegit]

Feed me all the stats you want, but you don't honor a guy who destroyed your franchise and took away all of the possible title runs we could've had in years to come.

It's free agency, he doesn't owe the city anything, it's his career and his life, and it's his decision. I know a ton of Cavs fans that hate him, but not because of him leaving.. it's because of how he left.

 

He screwed the franchise and doesn't deserve squat. What he did overrides what he did on the court. It's not going to change.

How did he screw the franchise? By leaving? So I guess Shaq screwed you guys over when he left too?

 

When you retire someone's number, you not only honor them as a performer, you honor them as a person. As a person, the character of LeBron and his actions give him no right to have his jersey honored.

More than anything else, you're honoring them as a player. The number signifies what they did on the court.

 

Don't start posting BS about his personality, everyone and their mama knew how terrible his personality was a long time ago, and you're just figuring it out.

 

I wouldn't hate him for leaving Cleveland, but I would hate him for stabbing the city in the heart on National TV as well as torturing the fans for nearly a week before slamming the door in their faces with no warning. Nor do I think it's a bad decision for him to leave to play with his friends, but I do hate that he claims Miami gave him the best opportunity to win ( I was so convinced that he would go to Chicago). And I most certainly cannot blame him for chasing money (because he could have received more in Cleveland), but I can blame him for chasing ego.

 

I think people forget that:

 

1. Lebron put Cleveland back in the NBA map and added millions of dollars to the bank account of Gilbert.

 

2. These fans owe Lebron MORE than what they actually think he owes them. That's the sad and painful truth. But that is the truth. Same goes for Dan Gilbert.

 

Another reason why you Cleveland fans hate him so much is due to him making the Cavs consistent winners every season for the past 5 or so years. Now that he is gone, you all feel that you will be nothing but losers. That's the painful truth. It seems like there's very little to do with paying his respects BS. Put it this way, if Cleveland failed to go to the playoffs every year under the LBJ era, would you guys be upset that he left? Or would you say, "good riddance"? Why? Because the only thing that matters is that he made you guys winners.

 

When Lebron said "I've spoiled you with my play" was he lying?

[fish7718]

1. Please stop mentioning Micheal Jordan in every post in every goddamn topic. We all get it hes the greatest and not one player in the future can even touch him.

+1 for this

[Newman]

You are a funny dude LeBron. Talk about this 10 years later.

[Real Deal]

Cleveland fans aren't just mad at the way he left (The Decision, not giving any indication before he announced it), they are mad because of things like this:

 

http://i51.tinypic.com/2dw7qth.jpg

 

...and the fact that he supported every move Gilbert made through trades and free agency. He wanted Jamison. He wanted Shaq. That roster was built for him to average 30/8/8 and win 60 games or more, due to his production and their team defense and shooting abilities. Put shooters and defenders around the superstar slasher.

 

Yeah, the Cavs are worse without him. Why? Because he never gave Gilbert a chance to put him on the block before he announced his decision to go to Miami. I understand he wanted to say where he was going to go...but he could've done that while giving back, also. Instead, AFTER he makes his decision to go, the Heat give up the cash and picks to get him...which gives the Cavs less. They could've had Beasley, at least.

 

While he had the right to do it, he didn't have to. He could've given back. Gilbert, and the fans, helped make LeBron one of the biggest superstars in NBA history. It wasn't all just James. And it wasn't until the final second, before the Decision, that it all turned sour...so he could've done it all differently.