Back in 2014, LeBron James rocked the NBA world when he announced his decision to re-join the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After leaving in such dramatic fashion 4 years earlier, nobody had imagined he’d ever return. But, at that moment, he defied all expectations and returned his hometown team to a state of contention in the Eastern Conference.
And while his second tenure with the franchise is mostly viewed as a success, it didn’t come without some drama. Kyrie Irving, for one, was apparently less than thrilled about the way James was being treated.
In a recent article, Joe Vardon details some of the problems that arose, which apparently involved Irving being cast aside and treated as a lesser player this new teammate.
(via Joe Vardon of The Athletic)
Irving, a socially conscious 22-year old, wanted to do something to join the protest. He found a hook-up for a T-shirt that read, “I Can’t Breathe” — what Garner said as the policeman choked him — and wore it during pregame warm-ups. LeBron got a hold of one and wore it too. Headlines around the world trumpeted LeBron for wearing the shirt. Irving’s participation was almost an afterthought, as far as the media was concerned.
“When LeBron returned to Cleveland, the Cavs hired his trainer, his security and his personal assistant. Irving couldn’t get the same treatment for his associates, and it bothered him. But not just him.”
According to a previous report by The Athletic, an incident between Drederick and one of the people close to LeBron whom the Cavs hired turned ugly when Irving’s father refused to shake hands with him. LeBron eventually asked Kyrie what happened, and Irving told him Drederick believed they shouldn’t be “fraternizing with the enemy.”
Obviously, Lebron James is at another level than Kyrie and the difference was even more extreme back then. But before James’ return, it was Irving who was keeping the team afloat. He was drafted in 2011 and rose to stardom quickly, giving Cleveland a star that may have helped sway LeBron’s decision years later.
In his last years with the team, Uncle Drew proved with worth time and time again, and especially during the Finals, where he hit a miraculous clutch three-pointer in Game 7.
To not have gotten the same treatment as LeBron James must have hurt, especially considering how important he still was to that franchise.
So when he demanded out in the summer of 2017, it was from a place of wanting to be appreciated and recognized just a little bit more.
