'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted LeBron James with the No. 1 pick of the 2003 draft under massive expectations that he’d be the franchise’s savior. But seven years after entering the league, King James still hadn’t delivered a championship to the success-starved franchise.
In “The Redeem Team” documentary, James opened up on his thought process during those times and why it was very different from the 2008 Olympic team:
"We gotta be a no-excuse team. I know I'm guilty of this sometimes. I sit at home and say, 'If I had Dwight Howard on my team or if I had Carlos Boozer on my team or if I had Chris Paul as my point guard, I'd win an NBA championship.'
“I got all y'all on this team. So, what's my excuse now? Do we all have an excuse? We don't. This is everything that we always dreamed of, of having that guy next to you and winning something. I don't have no excuse now. None of us."
The East, in LeBron James’ first seven seasons, was dominated by the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons. Detroit still had the core of the 2004 championship team that beat the Shaq and Kobe Lakers. Boston, meanwhile, formed its Big Three in 2007 with the acquisition of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to support longtime franchise player Paul Pierce.
Cleveland lost to the Pistons in James’ first season of reaching the playoffs. Detroit beat the Cavaliers in seven hard-fought games in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Cavs then had their revenge the following season to reach the NBA Finals but were swept by Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs.
Another semifinal exit took place in 2008 against the eventual-champion Boston Celtics. It was an epic series that lasted the whole route. While their heated rivals had Pierce, Garnett and Allen, LeBron James’ supporting cast included Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak.
The Chosen One averaged 26.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.3 blocks. He gave it his all but just didn’t have enough ammunition from the role players to drag the Cavaliers over the finish line.
James joined the 2008 U.S. Olympic team and had Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade, among others, as teammates. Deep inside, he knew he couldn’t have any more excuses not to win the competition’s biggest prize.
LeBron James won his first NBA championship with “Redeem Team” teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh
In 2009, the Cleveland Cavaliers reached the Eastern Conference finals again but lost to Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic. A season later, Cleveland was eliminated yet again by the Boston Celtics’ Big Three.
After seven years of futility, LeBron James jumped ship and took his talents to South Beach to form his version of the Big Three. He finally had the caliber of teammates he never had when he was with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
With 2008 Olympic teammates Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, King James led the Miami Heat to four straight NBA Finals appearances. He also won back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013.
James, however, returned to Cleveland and fulfilled his promise of delivering a championship by winning the 2016 NBA Finals. He was able to make good on that promise by beating the 73-9 Golden State Warriors after going down 3-1 in the series.
