CLEVELAND — LeBron James’ longest single tenure with a franchise is his current run with the Lakers.
And his best seasons may have come during his four years with the Heat.
But for James, Cleveland is where it all started and where he’s spent most of his ongoing 23-year NBA career.
The Lakers’ eight-game “Grammy” trip continued against the Cavaliers on Wednesday night. It’s the Lakers’ lone regular-season matchup at Rocket Arena, meaning it could be one of the last NBA games James plays at the arena he used to call home for 11 seasons.
James holds several Cavaliers career regular-season records, including games played (849), points (23,119), assists (6,228), rebounds (6,190), steals (1,376) and triple-doubles (64). Every time he comes back to northeast Ohio, he’s showered with adoration from Cavaliers fans – many of whom hope he’ll play for Cleveland one more time before retiring.
Here are James’ 11 greatest moments with the Cavaliers:
NBA debut
There have not been many NBA debuts as anticipated as James’.
How did he respond to the hype? By exceeding expectations – which became a common theme in James’ career after being the No. 1 pick in the 2003 draft.
James stuffed the stat sheet with 25 points, nine assists, six rebounds and four steals in his debut on Oct. 29, 2003. And even though the Cavaliers lost to the Kings, James provided early glimpses of what he’d become in his legendary career.
First 50-piece
One of the highlights from James’ second season was his first 50-point game, when he finished with 56 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a loss to the Raptors on March 20, 2005.
James made the first of 21 consecutive All-Star and All-NBA teams after his second season.
Playoff debut
James led the Cavaliers to their first playoff appearance in eight years in his third season.
He not only impressed in his playoff debut, recording a triple-double (32 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists), but the Cavaliers also won their first-round series against the Wizards in six games.
25 straight
Against a Pistons team looking to make its third NBA Finals in four years and competing in its fifth consecutive Eastern Conference finals, James put on a performance for the ages.
In a pivotal Game 5 of the 2007 Eastern Conference finals at The Palace of Auburn Hills, James scored 25 straight points for the Cavaliers – and 29 of the team’s final 30 points, including a go-ahead layup with three seconds left in double overtime – to secure the win. He finished with 48 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in Game 5, with the Cavaliers winning Game 6 to clinch their first NBA Finals berth in franchise history.
Franchise leading scorer
James has been the NBA’s all-time leading scorer for nearly three years after surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Feb. 7, 2023.
But nearly 15 years prior, he became the Cavaliers’ all-time leading scorer at 23 years old, passing Brad Daugherty, in a March 21, 2008, win over the Raptors.
James averaged 30 points per game during the 2007-08 season.
Redeem team
He may not have been in a Cavaliers uniform during the achievement, but James won the first of his three Olympic gold medals as a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team, also known as the “Redeem Team.”
First MVP
After leading the Cavaliers to a franchise-best 66-16 record during the 2008-2009 season, James received his first NBA MVP.
James has been named the league’s MVP four times, including twice with the Cavaliers (2008-09, 2009-10).
First playoff buzzer-beater
James’ first buzzer-beating game-winner in the playoffs was in Game 2 of the 2009 Eastern Conference finals, when he knocked down a 3-pointer as time expired over Hedo Türkoğlu to secure a one-point win.
Four of James’ five playoff buzzer-beaters came while playing for the Cavaliers.
Leading way in 2015 NBA Finals
It may not have led to the Cavaliers’ first NBA championship – that came a year later – but James led Cleveland to its first Finals wins in franchise history while leading a short-handed Cavaliers team that was without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.
James averaged 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists in the championship series the Cavaliers lost in six games to the Warriors.
Cavaliers’ first NBA title
The Chasedown block on Andre Iguodala.
Averaging 41 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, 3.5 steals and three blocked shots in Games 5 and 6.
Leading the first 3-1 comeback in Finals history.
James not only led the Cavaliers to their NBA title over the Warriors in 2016, ending Cleveland’s 52-year professional sports title drought, but did so in a way he felt made him “the greatest player of all time.”
2018 Finals, Game 1
The game is remembered for George Hill missing a go-ahead free throw, and J.R. Smith dribbling out the clock to force overtime in a game the Warriors eventually won.
But James’ performance in Game 1 of the 2018 Finals was an instant classic: 51 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
