The Miami Heat are on the cusp of every basketball player’s dream. They are three wins away from lifting the Larry O’Brien trophy, and being able to call themselves the best in the world. Three wins away from silencing every analyst, critic or fan that doubted them over the past season. Three wins away from glory.
Their rise can be traced back to the Big Three. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh form one of the most lethal and exciting offenses in league history, and their energy, along with coach Erik Spoelstra’s tremendous coaching, form a suffocating defense. However, it is not a coincidence that three of the best players in the world happen to be on the same team. Their journey down the years has been an arduous one, with many bumps and roadblocks along the way.
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It all started in the summer of 2003. It was the year of The Chosen One, the year LeBron James declared for the NBA draft after an illustrious high school career. It was one of the deepest and most talented draft pools in league history, with the likes of Carmelo Anthony, David West and Kendrick Perkins joining superstars James, Wade and Bosh. Chris Bosh was selected fourth overall and joined the Toronto Raptors, who were in dire need of a franchise player to fill the void left by Vince Carter. He was heralded as a new hope for the Raptors, and the fans embraced him as their superstar. Though Bosh played well in Toronto, they only reached the playoffs twice, losing both times in the first round.
Dwyane Wade was selected fifth overall, joining the Miami Heat. He had a very successful rookie season, though he was eclipsed by fellow rookies LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. He led the Miami Heat to the second round of the playoffs, leading the team in scoring and assists. The following season, the formidable center, Shaquille O’Neal, was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, which added another offensive option for Wade. He went on the startle fans and coaches, becoming one of the premier players in the league. The Miami Heat won an NBA title in 2006 under his leadership, and a stunning performance by Wade in the finals.
LeBron James rounds up the three, and is perhaps the best of them. He was one of the most anticipated players ever to join the league, after gaining worldwide fame in high school. He led his team to three state titles in his four years at high school, and was named to the All-USA First team thrice. He bypassed college, and joined the NBA straight out of high school, picked first overall by a struggling Cleveland Cavaliers franchise. He quickly rose to stardom in the NBA, and became the face of the franchise. Many speculated he would be the best player in NBA history, a position currently occupied by none other than Michael Jordan. He had several spectacular and dazzling performances, including some 50 point games, and was named league MVP in 2009 and 2010. He led the Cavaliers to the NBA finals in 2007, but they were swept by the veteran Spurs.
That pretty much sums up their individual journeys from 2003 to 2010. Then came The Decision. It brought together three of the most potent offensive forces into one formidable basketball team. It tainted the reputation of James, and caused millions of fans to view him as a traitor. In the blink of an eye, LeBron James went from being the league’s most loved superstar, to being the villain. Most think that it started in the 2010 offseason, but it can be traced back further.
At the end of the 2006 season, James signed a three year contract extension with Cleveland. He turned down a longer contract with more money in it, so that he would be an unrestricted free agent in 2010. It was confirmed that he had discussed this with Wade and Bosh, who similarly planned out their contracts so that they would be free agents in 2010. Over the next three years, James’ impending free agency received much hype, with many people speculating about where he would go. The city of Cleveland was convinced that he would stay, because of all the support and encouragement they had given him over the years.
James did not talk about where he was planning to play until July 8th. The previous day, Chris Bosh had announced that he would be joining the Heat. James set up a 1 hour show, entitled “The Decision”, during which he officially stated that he would be joining the Miami Heat. The fans of Cleveland felt betrayed, and started to regard him a traitor, a player who essentially abandoned an entire city’s hopes and dreams. The rest of the fans were appalled at the callous and narcissistic fashion in which he left, and most were disgusted by his famous and much quoted statement, “I’m going to take my talents to South Beach.” It reeked of a charade, with three of the league’s best teaming up to form an eastern conference powerhouse.
LeBron James announced his decision to leave Cleveland in a one hour show on national television
With all the drama of the summer behind them, there were high expectations for the Miami Heat heading into the season. Many fans rooted against them, as they got the impression that James and Wade were “bullying” the rest of the league. They got off to a sub-par start, with an 8-7 record after the first 15 games. They had some worrying losing streaks, which made fans and critics doubt their ability to play as a team. They finished the season 58-24, narrowly overtaking Boston for the second seed in the east.
Critics were skeptical about how far the Heat could reach in the playoffs, after losing to most of the elite teams in the regular season. Many fans openly made fun of them, because of the drama of the offseason. However, they appeared to shift into another gear, dispatching the Philadelphia 76ers in 5 games. They beat the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls in similar fashion, using tough, suffocating defense to contain superstars like Paul Pierce and Derrick Rose, en route to becoming eastern conference champions for the first time since 2006. Next stop: The NBA Finals.
The Miami Heat has been the most scrutinized and hated team in the history of the NBA. The Big Three have gotten booed out of opponent arenas countless times, and fans have rooted against them in nearly every game they’ve played. But now, with the dust settled, and only two teams left, The Big Three are still standing with their heads held high, three wins away from winning it all. And that’s all that matters.
