CLEVELAND — Lakers star LeBron James wiped tears from his eyes before tucking his face in his jerseys while the Cavaliers played a tribute video of the four-time NBA MVP during the first stoppage in the first quarter of Wednesday’s blowout loss at Rocket Arena.
And before he got off the bench to get back onto the court, he grabbed a towel from underneath his seat on the Lakers’ bench to wipe away the tears after an emotional moment he didn’t expect to happen.
“Obviously a lot of memories here,” James said postgame. “A lot of history. So just super grateful and thankful for the time spent here and the memories.”
The tribute video played highlights of James scoring 25 straight points — and 29 of the Cavaliers’ final 30 points — in their Game 5 double overtime win over the Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills in the 2007 Eastern Conference finals.
He finished the game with 48 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.
The Cavaliers won Game 6 at Quicken Loans Arena, now known as Rocket Aena, two days later to clinch their first NBA Finals berth in franchise history.
“I obviously looked up there, I remember that moment like it was yesterday,” James said. “Obviously, the underdog going against that Detroit Pistons team and for us to win that game and then ultimately win Game 6, and go to the NBA Finals, it was a pretty cool moment.”
James spent 11 of his league-record 23 NBA seasons with the Cavaliers — seven (2003-10) after being drafted No. 1 in 2003, and four more (2014-18) after a four-year stint with the Miami Heat (2010-14).
Wednesday was the first time the Cavaliers had honored James with highlights from that game, according to The Associated Press. Cleveland wore modernized versions of the navy uniforms James and the Cavaliers donned in the win over the Pistons on Wednesday, in addition to a throwback version of the court Cleveland used during the majority of the 2000s.
The Lakers’ loss was James’ eighth game against the Cavaliers in Cleveland since signing with the Lakers in July 2018 — meaning the Cavaliers played seven tribute videos since then.
So why did he get as emotional as he did on Wednesday night?
“It just comes from just being present,” James explained. “I was just more present [on Wednesday] than I’ve been over the previous seven. It wasn’t the highlights that was going on. Obviously. That’s a great memory for me, but I was young. I had no idea. I was just out there just being ultra competitive. I was 22 in that video.
“Some of the previous videos, I think one they showed us winning a championship too. So that video would’ve, if I was going to get emotional, would’ve probably been that one. But just, like I said, just being present. Just being present in the moment and definitely got to me a little bit for sure. And I was like I said, super thankful.”
LeBron James on why he was more emotional watching the Cavaliers’ tribute video for him this year compared to the previous seven seasons: “It comes from just being present. I was just more present today than I’ve been over the previous seven [tributes].” https://t.co/99b8Q4rZo3 pic.twitter.com/vuNxSWYUT1
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) January 29, 2026
And why was James more present this year than in previous ones?
“I don’t know, like I said eight years ago, I knew I was gonna be playing another game here,” he responded. “2019-20, I knew I was gonna be playing another game here. And like I said, I don’t know what the future holds for me.
“Obviously, so I’m just trying to live in the moment. I don’t know if it’s my last game here or not at this moment. So that helps. And then, shit, because I look down on the bench and see my 21-year-old son in the uniform as well. It was super cool.”
The 21-year-old son James referred to is his Lakers teammate, Bronny James, who was selected by the Lakers in the second round of the 2024 draft.
“I was almost emotional myself,” Bronny said. “I wasn’t surprised. I kinda knew that was going to happen with the tribute.”
Bronny, who was born in Akron, Ohio like his father, spent many years around the Cavaliers organization before the elder James joined the Lakers.
“It’s home,” Bronny said. “Being home is another feeling. It’s a crazy feeling to come back and [have] so much love. It got him. It almost got me.”
