The LeBron James grapheme arc has been tumultuous for the final two decades, spanning from hero, to villain, and back once again.

Going back to earlier he was even drafted out of loftier school, James was idea to exist the NBA's next major star. Fortuitously, the Cleveland Cavaliers — the professional team closest to his hometown of Akron, Ohio — were able to draft him and add together a new layer to the narrative: Hometown savior.

James would accept the Cavs to the NBA Finals in 2007, but ultimately the San Antonio Spurs swept Cleveland.

In the 2010 offseason, James was a free amanuensis with a big determination to make. He opted to leave his hometown team to sign with the Miami Heat, partnering with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to create a "Big Three" with the goal of competing for NBA titles. Betrayal was the narrative theme from Cleveland'due south perspective at the time. James, nonetheless incidental, took upwardly a villain function.

After years of success with Miami — leading the team to 4 direct NBA Finals, culminating in ii NBA Finals wins over the OKC Thunder and San Antonio Spurs — LeBron made a shocking determination to render to Cleveland where he would finally lead them to a title in 2016, their first in franchise history. Redemption .

Pat Riley was furious about LeBron James leaving Miami Heat

LeBron James and Pat Riley | Ron T. Ennis/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Pat Riley, President of the Miami Heat, was the architect of the Big Iii era in Miami and has created years of competitive basketball teams in South Beach earlier and later the LeBron era.

Riley was understandably aroused when LeBron decided to head back to Cleveland after his 4-year end in Miami, taking the decision extremely personally.

"I was silent," Riley said. "I didn't say anything. My mind began to just go. And it was over. I was very aroused when LeBron left. It was personal for me. It just was. I had a very good friend who talked me off the ledge and kept me from going out at that place and saying something like Dan Gilbert. I'one thousand glad I didn't do information technology."

Pat Riley, to ESPN The Magazine's Wright Thompson

A lot of chips had been put in the table with the supposition that James would exist sticking effectually for the long haul in South Florida. The team even traded for rookie Shabazz Napier, which ended upward existence a misfire. Coincidentally (or possibly not), James was song about Napier existence his favorite prospect in the typhoon that flavour.

Riley, certainly biased, was song after LeBron'southward difference with his opinion that he gave up an opportunity to leave a truly historic and dynastic legacy with the Heat.

Pat Riley has gained perspective on LeBron'southward decision years later

Pat Riley | Photograph by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Riley has not been a perfect executive with the Rut, and he's willing to admit to that.

One of the mistakes he owns up to is letting Dwyane Wade, the franchise's all-fourth dimension best player, get out in 2016.

Along the way, he's also gained perspective and appreciation of LeBron's decision to get out the Heat to become dorsum to Cleveland for a shot at redemption with his hometown team. Speaking to The Athletic recently, Riley had this to say:

"I thought it was the most normal matter for him to do," Riley said. "Somewhere in your life, you accept to make clean upward something and be able to move on. I always felt that fifty-fifty after he left Cleveland and came to Miami for professional reasons, he'southward going to accept to go dorsum to his hometown one day, or he's going to take a scarlet alphabetic character on him for the rest of his life.

In recent months, Riley has even compared James to Michael Hashemite kingdom of jordan, an extremely high honor for the nineteen-year veteran.

LeBron leaving and going back to Cleveland allowed him to close the "Ohio'south Called 1" storyline to satisfaction. Of form, LeBron would opt to practice his gratis agency rights once more and accept his talents to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, where he's won some other NBA Championship for a third squad.

Maybe it's proof that fourth dimension heals all wounds.

LeBron'due south legacy spans across three franchises

LeBron is in his 19th year, and is far closer to the end of his career than the beginning. How will he exist remembered?

While the legacy of someone like Michael Jordan — frequently compared to James — is fairly clear in retrospect, James' career took a much different look. While Jordan played his elevation years all with one team, James spread them out across 3 teams.

This uniquely-shaped narrative makes for a highly subjective measuring stick when trying to assess his ultimate legacy. One perspective might tell you LeBron's legacy is strengthened by his ability to adapt to three different franchises and very different teams, winning at least one title for each club. Another perspective might view his jumping from squad to team as opportunistic and less challenging than sticking information technology out with one team regardless of the circumstances.

LeBron's career is non over, at least not all the same. The Lakers are entering the All-Star break 9th in the Western Briefing standings, placing them on the bubble for the play-in tournament, and he'due south under contract with LA for one more season. Winning a second title with the Lakers would shake the narrative up even more.

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