Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters

LeBron James surely wouldn't be swayed by a player of Richard Hamilton's caliber.

In reality, what moved him was Kobe's sincerity. Kobe was well aware of what he excelled at, and if there was one way to defeat the world's number one player with absolute certainty, it would be for the second and third best to join forces.

James had Maverick Carter inform ESPN that he'd made his decision and to prepare for the special program.

Soon, ESPN replied to them.

Everything was ready; they could arrange for the fastest possible broadcast during the best time slot for "The Decision."

According to the contract, James would receive five million US dollars (after taxes) for announcing his decision on ESPN's special program, which would be donated to several cities' charities.

Everything was set.

That night, James fell asleep peacefully.

But he dreamed of himself as a child.

James's grandmother, Freda James, passed away when he was three, leaving behind her daughter Gloria, her sons Terry and Curtis, and her grandson LeBron.

For Gloria, it was like the end of the world. She had no money to take care of herself and her son, nor the means to repair the broken house her mother had left. Her brother, jobless and unable to help. In those toughest times, they had to rely on the charity of neighbors, often curling up on a couch without blankets or depending on shelters, welfare, and food stamps to get by.

It was hard for James to form friendships with classmates or connections with teachers. With no fixed address, he often changed schools, gradually becoming a child who didn't speak much.

Not until James was nine did a man named Bruce Kelker change his life.

Kelker, a football coach, watched the not yet ten-year-old but significantly more robust than his peers LeBron playing football with friends, and asked if he liked the sport.

James replied, "It's my favorite sport."

At that time, Kelker was coaching a youth football team and was looking for a running back, meaning the kid needed to be faster than his peers. So he had his team race LeBron, and LeBron left them far behind.

When Kelker learned that James had no systematic training in football, he realized he had discovered a gem, so he went to Gloria to ask her to let LeBron join his team. But Gloria had no money, she was vocal and clear in her opposition, and she believed football wasn't suitable for her son, for LeBron was a quiet, reserved child. He wasn't combative.

Somehow, James, who had never been away from his mother, volunteered that he wanted to join the football team, and Kelker was willing to cover all costs. In the end, he even took LeBron into his own home.

It was a pivotal moment in James's life; from then on, he had a steady place to live, a warm home, and quickly became Akron's football prodigy. This boosted his confidence, turning him from an insecure child into one somewhat conceited.

The dream was so beautiful, it allowed LeBron to revisit the shadows and sunshine of his childhood in one night.

But suddenly, Mrs. Kelker, with tears streaming down her face, said, "LeBron, why are you leaving this home?"

In an instant, James's eyes snapped open.

The dark hotel room was empty; he glanced at the clock—it was only four in the morning.

But that dream...

James knew why he had such a dream.

It was one of the dark sides of his heart. In his childhood, he had doubted that Mrs. Kelker disliked him because his athletic ability was far above that of their children. Later, he learned that such doubts were groundless. Mrs. Kelker not only didn't dislike him, but she also treated him as her own.

For James, it was the most important experience of his childhood. He wanted a warm home, just like the Kelkers'.

But in the end, he left that home, just as he was about to leave the Cavaliers.

In the quiet of the night, as James reflected on his past, he realized that his current decision might have been destined all along.

Kelker not only taught him football but also basketball. One day, while he was playing pick-up basketball in Akron, he happened to meet the Joyce family.

Old Drew had aspired to be a football coach, but when he discovered his youngest son, Drew Joyce III, preferred basketball, he started coaching for a local AAU youth league basketball team. That's when he met LeBron, who was just a month older than his son.

Soon, James and young Drew started playing together. LeBron instantly liked him. Young Drew was usually quiet off the court, but on the court, he wasn't shy about telling people what to do. Though the shortest, he acted like a coach, earning the nickname "The General" from his teammates.

Young Drew had been playing basketball since he was four or five, but James was so tall and strong, he could easily beat Drew. After each loss, Drew would insist on another round. Over and over again.