MIAMI — Dressed in a white Heat uniform for the first time, LeBron James took a look at his new home crowd, folded his arms across his chest and nodded.
The MVP has taken center stage in Miami.
Reviled in Cleveland, revered in Miami. Welcome to South Florida, LeBron.
“It feels right,” James said. “To be in this position, to wear the Heat uniform, everything is nice. We’re going to make the world know that the Heat is back.”
Naturally, James promised championships. Multiple championships. Let a new era of Heat basketball begin.
“That’s the only reason I’m here, man,” James said.
With 13,000 fans chanting “Yes We Did!” amid an atmosphere more suited to a rock concert than a basketball game, the Miami Heat welcomed the NBA’s newest trio of superstars last night for a celebration unlike just about any other in team history.
James, Heat favorite Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all arrived accompanied by plumes of smoke, lifted into the air on a forklift for their grand arrival.
“It’s still surreal, man,” Wade said earlier. “Me, Chris and ‘Bron. We ready. We want to go to the gym now.”
Wade was in the middle as the trio was lifted skyward for the entrance — Bosh on his right, James on his left. Bosh pointed to the fans and screamed, while Wade aimed his index fingers at the crowd and James strutted about to the fans’ delight.