LeBron James Believes He Doesn’t Owe Cleveland, Or Anyone, Anything


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LeBron James is currently scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after the 2017-18 NBA season. And while a fourth consecutive showdown against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals feels inevitable as the season looms, what happens to James and who he plays for next season remains a mystery.

LeBron’s pending free agency will dominate the narrative around him this year, simply because he refuses to be tied down by a narritive about where he belongs. He left Cleveland to win a title and find himself. He’s returned to his home team and won it all with them. Now with seven straight NBA Finals appearances to his name, it’s clear that James feels he has little left to do to satisfy anyone.

And he said as much before this season starts. James sat down with GQ for a wide-ranging piece that included his thoughts on the presidency, his legacy and the importance of speaking out on social issues. But when he was asked what he owed the city of Cleveland, James was blunt in his response.


He also used the third person, which was kind of weird.

“LeBron James owes nobody anything. Nobody. When my mother told me I don’t owe her anything, from that point in time, I don’t owe anybody anything. But what I will give to the city of Cleveland is passion, commitment, and inspiration. As long as I put that jersey on, that’s what I represent. That’s why I’m there—to inspire that city. But I don’t owe anybody anything.”

James has said similar things in the past, saying he has nothing left to prove to anyone about his talents on the floor. In a way, it’s an incredibly freeing thought to consider. His goals and his actions are his own, and the only responsibilities he feels lie off the floor. Still, it sets up the speculation that will fuel this next offseason’s fire.

And judging by the summer we just witnessed, there’s little reason to believe James will make whatever choice seems most obvious to us.

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