Former NBA champion recounts 'mad' fans and potential security threat on LeBron James' return to Cleveland

The animosity towards LeBron James from Cleveland Cavaliers fans when he joined the Miami Heat in 2010 was out of this world. After spending his first seven seasons with the Cavaliers, James decided to move on and join the Heat for a better chance at winning a championship. After his departure, however, fans quickly turned on him for leaving the team that drafted him.

James' decision to join Miami turned out right, winning his first two titles with them. His former teammate Mario Chalmers recently appeared as a guest on the "Big Pod with Shaq" where he talked about his time in the NBA.

Part of his time in the league was his inclusion in the Heatles team that won two titles in four years. Chalmers shared a story of what the hate felt like during their first game against the Cavs in the 2010-11 season.

"I always take it back to that first game in Cleveland. Bron's first game," Chalmers said. "Like, I've never seen fans that mad at a person.

"From people trying to throw batteries on the court, we had somebody who tried to grab an officer's gun. You guys are really that mad that he left Cleveland to come to Miami? How can you be that mad?"

Expand Tweet

According to Chalmers, it reached a point where James embraced how he was presented as a villain. The hate from the fans didn't heavily affect the superstar forward, as he led the Heat to two titles. LeBron even won two MVP awards during his time with Miami.

Also read: WATCH: Lakers trio LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Rui Hachimura battle it out in free-throw shootout

LeBron James redeemed himself in Cleveland

Fans were hurt when LeBron James left their franchise to win a title with the Heat. Many were looking forward to him leading the organization to their first title in the NBA. Fans believed it would be a fitting outcome as they drafted James out of high school and he transformed the team to compete for a championship.

After his four-year stint with the Heat, he went back to the Cavaliers to form a superteam with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. Their first year didn't end how they wanted it to, but they returned to the NBA Finals the following year to finish the job.

James and the Cavs' title triumph involved a comeback for the ages, as they overcame the Golden State Warriors' 3-1 lead. Winning solves everything and the city of Cleveland put their past behind after the iconic 2016 championship run of their NBA franchise.

Also read: LeBron James' detractors scoff at possible $100+ million extension citing lackluster defense: "No reason to give him 60 million for 3 years"