NBA

This Date in NBA History (July 8): LeBron James announces plan to sign with the Miami Heat on 'The Decision' in 2010

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Jim Gray and LeBron James

On July 8th in 2010, LeBron James announced his decision to join the Miami Heat when he famously said, "I'm going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat" on an ESPN special called 'The Decision'.

The show, which reportedly raised more than $3 million for charity, was held at the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, Connecticut.  

That decision ended James' seven-year stint with his hometown franchise - the Cleveland Cavaliers, who had drafted him No. 1 overall in 2003. Those seven years included four seasons with at least 50 wins, including a franchise-record 66 wins in 2008-09, two MVPs (2009, 2010), a Finals trip in 2007 - the franchise's first, but no championships. 

That decision meant that James would suit up for the Heat alongside fellow Eastern Conference All-Stars in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, both of whom had committed to sign with the Heat a day earlier on the Noon SportsCenter with Michael Wilbon.

It would take one more day after James' announcement for the ensuing sign-and-trade deal between the Heat and the Cavaliers to be official.

Once that was wrapped up, the three All-Stars were introduced to the Heat fans at the American Airlines Arena on July 9th. 

Bosh, Wade, James in Miami

The trio of James, Wade, and Bosh would play a total of four seasons together for the Heat (2010-14), reaching the NBA Finals in every season. 

That achievement made them only third franchise (then) in NBA history and the first since the Boston Celtics of the 1980s (1984-87) to make it to four consecutive NBA Finals. In the four seasons, the Heat went 224-88 (71.8%) in the regular season, winning at least 65% of their games each year, and 59-28 (67.8%) in the postseason. 

They came up short in six games against Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 Finals but then went on to win back-to-back titles - 2012 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder and 2013 vs. San Antonio Spurs. In 2014, they would fall to the Spurs in five games.

James would be named Finals MVP during both of their championship runs, adding the trophies to his two league MVP Awards trophies he received with the Heat in 2012 and 2013). He was voted to the All-Star team as a starter and named to the All-NBA First Team all four years. 

In the 2014 offseason, the 6-foot-9 forward would return to Cleveland to sign with the Cavaliers, where he went on to lead them to the NBA title in 2016.

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