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Back in 2014, LeBron James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers with only one goal in his mind: to bring the championship to his hometown.
Two years later, the "King" and the Cavs became champions in a dramatic fashion, defeating the Golden State Warriors in seven games.
A few months later, they got their rings prior to their season opener vs. the New York Knicks and LeBron James had a message for those who doubted him and his teammates.
"At this point, if you don't live here, work here, play here, dedicate yourself to Cleveland, then makes no sense for you to live today. Cleveland against the world," James said during his speech.
LeBron James fulfilled his promise to make the Cavs NBA champions
When LeBron James left the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010, fans hated him for this decision. The "King" went to the Miami Heat, reached four straight NBA Finals and won the title in consecutive years (2012, 2013).
In 2014, he announced his intention to return to Cleveland.
"When I left Cleveland, I was on a mission. I was seeking championships, and we won two. But Miami already knew that feeling. Our city hasn’t had that feeling in a long, long, long time. My goal is still to win as many titles as possible, no question. But what’s most important for me is bringing one trophy back to Northeast Ohio," LeBron James said when he announced his return to the franchise.
In 2016, James fulfilled his promise, leading the Cavs to their first-ever NBA title. With him and Kyrie Irving taking over, Cleveland made the wildest comeback in NBA Finals history and won the last three games vs. the Warriors to win the series (4-3).
The Warriors responded with the addition of superstar Kevin Durant and the two franchises faced each other two more times in the Finals. In total, Cleveland and Golden State played each other four straight times in the NBA Finals (2015-2018), with the Warriors winning three of them (2015, 2017, 2018).
In 2018, James left Cleveland again to join his current team, the LA Lakers, but he had already fulfilled his promise. With the Lakers, he won the 2020 NBA title.
