Report: LeBron edited 'coming home' essay on plane with unsuspecting Wade

LeBron James' now-famous "I'm coming home" essay sent massive shockwaves throughout the basketball world back in 2014, as the four-time MVP revealed to Sports Illustrated's Lee Jenkins that he was leaving the Miami Heat to return to his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers.

Prior to the news breaking, very few people were in the know of James' all-important decision. In fact, Dwyane Wade - a close, personal friend of The King - hadn't been told by James at the time of the essay's release that he was departing South Beach.

James apparently edited a draft of the piece after a summer basketball camp while flying on a Nike-owned jet from Las Vegas to Miami - which was also carrying Wade - ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Dave McMenamin wrote in their book, "Return of the King." Even then, Wade was still unaware, although he'd later admit that he could tell from James' body language during the plane ride that something was amiss.

The essay was released hours after the flight landed.

So why didn't James come forward to Wade ahead of time about his inevitable move?

"You can’t ask Dwyane to carry that (secret)," said James' agent, Rich Paul, in the book. "He couldn’t. It would’ve put him in a terrible position."

James and Wade won two NBA titles together in Miami (2012 and 2013) alongside Chris Bosh, who was apparently the key ingredient in getting the two to join and stay with the Heat in the first place.

Wade has played the 2016-17 campaign with the Chicago Bulls after falling out with Heat management last offseason, and could reportedly return to the Bulls' lineup Saturday night after originally being ruled out for the season with a fractured right elbow.

- with h/t to NBC Sports' Dan Feldman