Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James returned to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers on the day his museum opened in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. The Cavaliers gave LeBron a video tribute, congratulating The King for becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
“It’s always special to come back here,” LeBron said. “Being able to come back here after my Miami stint and win a championship here for this franchise, this city … it was something that I will never forget, no matter how old I get. Stepping back on this floor is always a pretty cool feeling. Looking up there and being a part of pretty much all of the banners.”
Earlier Saturday, LeBron’s charitable foundation opened LeBron James’ Home Court, a museum stocked with LeBron’s mementos from throughout his 21-year NBA career, his four years as a teenage sensation at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary’s High School and the last apartment he and his mother lived in before he turned pro.
According to a news release, museum guests begin their tour by turning an apartment key on a string to open unit 602, just like LeBron did when he moved into Spring Hill Apartments.
“I used to get on my mom a lot about saving everything, ever since I started playing sports,” LeBron said. “She kind of threw it in my face when stuff was being prepared down at the museum because a lot of the stuff in there is stuff that she saved. And that’s pretty cool.
“I’ve been able to do some things in my life, to be able to bring back to my community, to continue to highlight my community and continue to make my community a place where people want to visit, want to see and want to be proud of. I am. I am definitely proud of the fact that my foundation has been able to do some great things.”
The Lakers beat the Cavaliers to improve to 10-7 on the season. LeBron didn’t shoot the ball well, but he finished with 22 points, six rebounds and six assists in 35 minutes.