LeBron James is still digesting his fourth NBA Finals loss, but he recently took some time - while getting his hair cut - to say a few words to the city of Cleveland and the Cleveland Cavaliers faithful, after the culmination of his first season back in northeast Ohio.
"Just giving y'all a closeout to the season," James said from his barber's chair, over the hum of a razor, in a video for Bleacher Report's Uninterrupted series. "Obviously it didn't end the way I wanted it to end, but for a team that's first getting together, in our first year to be able to reach the finals - not saying I'm happy with the results but I'm proud of our guys."
James acknowledged that the defeat still stings, but expressed a profound gratitude for the open-armed embrace the city and its fans gave him upon his return:
It hurt to lose, and I'm still in a little funk right now, but I'm trying to work my way out of it. But, you know, being back home is everything that I dreamed of, everything that I thought about. Being back with these fans, being back with this community, just being back here and trying to bring joy to this city which deserves it. Bringing a sense of pride to this city which deserves it. Giving this city something to talk about, which they deserve.
Hopefully I was an inspiration, being back to you guys for this first year, and hopefully I can continue that in the near future. And I just thank you guys - I thank the fans, I thank everybody - for the support that y'all gave us all year, the support that you gave me by welcoming me back, and hopefully I made you guys proud in year one. Like I said I'm not satisfied I'm not happy with the way things turned out. I'm bummed about it for sure. But hopefully I can put our team in position once again to try to compete for a championship, next year and year in and year out. That's my goal, and my inspiration hasn't changed.
James is expected to opt out of his contract this summer, but, despite rumors of friction with teammate Kevin Love and Cavs head coach David Blatt swirling all season, and despite a report late last calendar year positing that James wouldn't hesitate to leave Cleveland if the situation didn't look promising, it seems a pretty safe bet that after bringing the Cavs to within two games of an NBA title - closer than they've ever been - he's staying put.
