LeBron James Received A Standing Ovation From Cavaliers Fans In His Return To Cleveland

When LeBron James left Cleveland the first time in 2010, he did it with unfinished business still on the table. It also wasn’t the most graceful exit he could’ve fashioned for himself, but he was young and he learned from those mistakes.

Things are different this time around. When he left for Los Angeles last summer in free agency, he did so having brought the city of Cleveland its first championship in more than 50 years.

Most of that lingering resentment after “The Decision” has long evaporated. Still, going into his first return to Cleveland this season as a member of the Lakers, it was unclear exactly how the home crowd would react. Fandom is a fickle, inscrutable thing. But when they announced his name in the starting lineup at The Q on Wednesday night, the crowd stood and cheered for the northeast Ohio native.

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Clearly, it’s a bittersweet return for both sides. The Cavs and their fans would obviously prefer to still have LeBron James on their roster, and just like in 2010, his absence has left the team reeling as they face an uncertain future.

But showering the hometown kid with cheers was always the right thing to do, and the people of Cleveland didn’t disappoint. They showed from the moment he first emerged from the tunnel for shootaround just how much love there was in the building, and that continued during player introductions.

With how acrimonious James’ first game back was in 2010, it’s good to see that this return to Cleveland is going much better.