Taking closer look at events that went down in LeBron James' move from Cleveland Cavaliers to Miami Heat

There was a time when LeBron James shook the NBA world to its absolute core. After seven seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers and five failed bids at going all the way in the playoffs, James famously took his talents to South Beach. The team was fresh off a second-round loss to the Boston Celtics in the Playoffs when James entered free agency.

During a nationally televised special on ESPN, James teased his decision all the way up to the very end. His famous line about taking his talents to South Beach went global, as Cleveland fans lamented his decision. There were accusations that he had ruined the league by pairing up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and for some time he was looked at as a villain.

During the introductory event for the Big Three, they vowed to win seven titles together, more than the Chicago Bulls duo of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. They came up short of the goal, but it paved the way for James to return to Cleveland and bring the city its first championship in 52 years.

Since then, there have been many misconceptions about why James left the Cavaliers. Some took the situation as an indication that he was accepting that he couldn't be the team's only superstar. In reality, James played seven years with the Cavaliers, while the front office did little to bring him any help.

Above, you can see footage of James' top 10 moments with the Heat.

LeBron James' years with the Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James (2018 NBA Finals - Game Three)

After being drafted by the Cavaliers, it took James several seasons to make a splash in the Playoffs. During the 2005-06 season, his third in the league, the team nearly made it to the Conference Finals. The following year, James went on an absolute tear, carrying the team all the way to the Conference Finals, where they lost to the Orlando Magic.

It marked their most successful playoff campaign during James' time there. Given how close the franchise was to making it to the Finals, one would think that the front office would have done more to take the team to the next level. That wasn't the case, and as a result, James made the decision to walk away.

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'The Pat Riley effect' how he influenced LeBron James

Miami Heat Dwyane Wade L3GACY Celebration

There's one man who is credited with being the biggest influence on why LeBron James went to Miami - Pat Riley. Riley won a championship as a player for the New York Knicks in 1972, before then winning a ring as an assistant coach and five titles as a head coach. He later switched to a front-office role, where he won over LeBron James.

During a meeting in Cleveland between the two, Riley reportedly dropped a bag full of championship rings on LeBron's table. Seven to be exact. The pitch was simple, join me and I will make you a champion.

Clearly, it worked. After Riley won the NBA Executive of the Year title, LeBron James, Wade, and Bosh won two championships together.

The rest, as they say, is history.

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