“I’m coming home.”
These three words, inducing ecstatic tears of joy from Cleveland Cavaliers fans and the aching feeling of abandonment from fans of the Miami Heat, will undoubtedly go down as one of the most historical phrases in Cavalier history. In his letter to Sports Illustrated, LeBron James announced his return to the Cavaliers for a second and likely last stint with the team.
It was almost like a fairy tale for James, who played his high school basketball at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. After deciding to forgo his college career, he entered the NBA draft at the raw age of 18. Distinguished by his gravity defying slams and his knack to put the ball in the hoop seemingly without effort, he was predicted to be the first pick in the 2003 NBA draft, one held by the Cavaliers.
Everything was unfolding like a dream for the already crowned phenom. After being drafted by the Cavs, he experienced unparalleled success, along with mass popularity. Unfortunately, there was no happily ever after in this episode.
James’ professional tenure with the Cavs did not disappoint. During his seven years, his body of work made it a universal consensus that he is the best player on the planet – a title that Kobe Bryant once held. The perennial All-Star added numerous feats to his resume, including two MVP awards and several deep playoff runs; however, one obstacle remained that seemed unconquerable. ‘The King” could not deliver his team to the promise land. After a devastating loss to the Boston Celtics in 2011 during the final year of his contract, he decided it was time for a change.
At a Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich, Connecticut, James announced his move to Miami in an ESPN special titled ‘The Decision”. That day, he woke up a fan favorite and went to sleep perhaps the most hated man in Cleveland, with fans showing their antipathy by burning his jersey and the owner, Dan Gilbert, writing a message personally directed at him, essentially calling him a coward. Despite the disgust from his hometown, LeBron took his talents to South Beach to join close friends and draft class companions Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh with the aspirations of winning the heavily coveted NBA title.
In their first year, the Big 3 – James, along with Wade and Bosh – failed to do so, much to the delight of Gilbert and Cavs fans around the world. The next two years, conversely, went exactly according to plan for James as he finally acquired the championships he so desperately pursued. This past season, which was his fourth with the team, featured an attempt at a three peat. The Heat cruised their way into the finals, only to stumble upon the San Antonio Spurs in a rematch from the previous year’s finals. The Spurs won the series in commanding fashion, dispatching the Heat in 5 games. After including an opt-out clause in his previous contract after four season, James was able to utilize it and once again on the market.
This time there was no ESPN special, only a long, agonizing period of waiting.
Finally, he reached a conclusion and in the aforementioned Sports Illustrated letter, James declared he would be returning to the Cavs. The letter reflected his signs of maturity as he sincerely addressed all parties that may be affected by his decision. The biggest barrier standing between James and his return to Cleveland was his relationship with Gilbert. Many viewed the relationship as irreversibly damaged, but in the letter ‘The King’ announced that both parties had made mistakes and granted mutual forgiveness.
Until the re-acquisition of LeBron James, Dan Gilbert had been relatively dormant in the public eye. With the ostensibly gloomy future of the team, the owner of the Cavs shifted his efforts to projects outside of basketball operations, particularly in technology. One of the most aesthetic of his innovations is his PreGame Court Projection.In the approximately three minute presentation incorporating state of the art technology via dynamic graphics and vibrant sound, fans are given a memorable experience that makes going to a Cavs game significantly more entertaining.
The Projection was originally utilized to celebrate the retiring of Zydrunas Illgauskas’ number. During the commemoration, the on court projections appeared to be some sort of movie, watched with 3D glasses. The Cavs mediocre starting lineup – including Kyrie Irving, Jarrett Jack, Luol Deng, Tristan Thompson, and Spencer Hawes – were announced as if they were about to participate in a game seven in an NBA Finals. The thunderous presentation even overshadowed the energetic applause from the crowd. If one asked a few fans about the entire game day experience, it wouldn’t be surprising if they affirmed that the Illgauskas tribute and starting lineup introductions were more enjoyable than the actual game.
As an entrepreneur, Gilbert has also partaken in other, more advanced innovative endeavors involving technology. In 2007, Gilbert launched Bizdom, a non-profit start-up accelerator for tech firms. This program mandates that applicants propose a plan for a technology-based start-up with the intention to present a prototype or sell to a customer within 90 days. Bizdom exchanges a preliminary investment of $25,000 for an 8% equity stake in the venture. Gilbert is constantly involved during the entire process, offering advice and feedback whenever useful.
MascotSecret, the most notable company, joined Bizdom in August 2012. The company fuses Gilbert’s two passions, entrepreneurship and sports. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Lake Erie Monsters (Colorado Avalanche’s AHL affiliate), and the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League are all partners with MascotSecret. Though a multi-billionaire entrepreneur who has individually attained more than most could ever dream, Dan Gilbert believes in the synergy of many different groups and organizations to elicit the best results collectively.
LeBron James’ homecoming can only bolster the exposure of Dan Gilbert’s developments and with the potential formation of another Big 3 – this time James, Irving, and Andrew Wiggins and orKevin Love – a technological explosion may be on the horizon for the Cavs.