Sports

LeBron James Sees Racial Overtones in Gilbert's 2010 Letter

October 18, 2017, 6:48 AM


Photo credits: Keith Allison and Steve Jennings

It's hard to forget when Dan Gilbert, in a less-than mature moment, fired off an angry letter to fans in 2010 lambasting LeBron James for leaving his Cleveland Cavaliers team to play for Miami.

"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING' WINS ONE," Gilbert wrote. 

"If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our 'motivation' to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels. 

Now, James is asked in an interview in GQ  whether he thinks that letter was racial, to which he answers yes. Here's an excerpt:

Did you feel like Dan Gilbert's letter was racial?

"Um, I did. I did. It was another conversation I had to have with my kids. It was unfortunate, because I believed in my heart that I had gave that city and that owner, at that point in time, everything that I had. Unfortunately, I felt like, at that point in time, as an organization, we could not bring in enough talent to help us get to what my vision was. A lot of people say they want to win, but they really don't know how hard it takes, or a lot of people don't have the vision. So, you know, I don't really like to go back on that letter, but it pops in my head a few times here, a few times there.

I mean, it's just human nature. I think that had a lot to do with race at that time, too, and that was another opportunity for me to kind of just sit back and say, 'Okay, well, how can we get better? How can we get better? How can I get better?' And if it happens again, then you're able to have an even more positive outlook on it. It wasn't the notion of I wanted to do it my way. It was the notion of I'm gonna play this game, and I'm gonna prepare myself so damn hard that when I decide to do something off the court, I want to be able to do it because I've paid my dues."

What does LeBron James owe the city of Cleveland?

"LeBron James owes nobody anything. Nobody. When my mother told me I don't owe her anything, from that point in time, I don't owe anybody anything. But what I will give to the city of Cleveland is passion, commitment, and inspiration. As long as I put that jersey on, that's what I represent. That's why I'm there—to inspire that city. But I don't owe anybody anything."

We first saw this in a  report by Violet Ikonomova of Metro Times.


Read more:  GQ Magazine


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