LeBron James is one of the last great things Cleveland sports ever had, so it stands to reason the fans would still be a bit bitter about his departure. James' return wasn't about them though. It was about being there for a friend.
The MVP made an appearance at the Quicken Loans Arena to see the Cavaliers retire Zydrunas Ilgauskas' jersey. The center played for 14 seasons with Cleveland and holds franchise records in games played, rebounds, and blocks.
PIC: LeBron James at Cavs-Knicks game for #AllForZ night Get updates and chat during 2nd half: http://t.co/O1QBEuUne2 pic.twitter.com/NYwaw5Akkt
Ilgauskas was actually the one to extend an invitation to James according to The Plain Dealer:
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James also paid tribute to his friend and former teammate with an Instagram post: "Words can't express how happy I am for u today! My truly good friend getting his jersey lifted into the rafters tonight," he says in the post. "I appreciate everything Big Z and you deserve this more than anyone I know!"
On a side note, anybody thought Dan Gilbert was throwing subs at James during his speech? "[The jersey retirement] represents the concept of never, ever, ever, ever giving up. Ever." So much emphasis.
RELATED: A Recent History of Dramatic Sports Homecomings
[via For The Win]
