"We had somebody try to grab an officer's gun" - Mario Chalmers on Cleveland's anger toward LeBron James
LeBron James was arguably the NBA’s best player heading into the 2010 offseason. Most people expected him to stay with his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, but he chose to join the Miami Heat and pair up with fellow 2003 draftees Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
It was a good career move for Bron, and it changed the NBA landscape, but it destroyed his reputation around the league, particularly in Cleveland. The move made him enemy number one in Ohio, which surprised teammate Mario Chalmers when they visited C-Town for the first time.
“I've never seen fans that mad at a person, people were trying to throw batteries on the court, we had somebody try to grab an officer's gun,” Chalmers said on 'The Big Podcast with Shaq.' “There were some crazy stories like that, you guys are really that mad he left Cleveland to come to Miami. I was so confused, how can you be that mad?”
Bron embraced the villain role in Miami
Moving to the Heat was the biggest story in the NBA, as LeBron became the de facto villain of the league. Most people wanted him to stick around and stay loyal to his hometown, but LBJ opted to join up with his fellow superstars. Fans saw it as a weak move, leading to criticism and unabashed hatred from fans around the country.
The most passionate critics were the Cleveland fans, who felt slighted by their hometown star’s departure. It’s reasonable to get angry, but James did not deserve to be abused, which is why Chalmers was surprised.
Unfortunately, it is the name of the game in professional sports, as fans are tribal and will only cheer for their chosen teams. However, it might cross a line, which Bron embraced as he was the biggest villain. James was successful in that role, winning two championships with the Heat.
“I don’t know, it was hard to say. At one point, he kinda embraced being a villain… For him, he embraced it, I’ll be a villain right now. At the end of the day, that’s all it is,” Chalmers continued.
Bron redeemed himself with Cleveland
After he lost the 2014 Finals with the Heat, LeBron was a free agent again for the first time in four years. He paid his debts to Cleveland, as he re-joined the Cavaliers in free agency, forming a partnership with Kyrie Irving.
The 2015 Playoff run was impressive, but they would lose to the Golden State Warriors. However, the 2016 season was successful, as the Cavs won the Finals after being down 3-1, with LeBron leading the way.
King James earned many fans during that Game 7, scoring 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. After winning the championship, he exclaimed, “Cleveland, this is for you!” He completed the redemption journey and shed his 'bad guy' reputation. Due to the poetry of the storyline, it was a fantastic story akin to scripted television.
