LeBron James Was in a ‘Dark Place’ After Getting ‘Hate’ and ‘Backlash’ at Age 25
"Everybody who knows me knows I'm just a big-ass kid," LeBron said when reflecting his move to the Miami Heat in 2010
LeBron James. Credit: Alex Slitz/Getty NEED TO KNOW LeBron James recalled a "dark time" for his mental health after he signed with the Miami Heat in 2010 The NBA legend opened up about the challenging period of his life and how he bounced back "I took the villain role," James said LeBron James is no stranger to dealing with backlash. The Los Angles Lakers star, 41, reflected on the mental and emotional strain that came from getting "hate" from fans after he signed with the Miami Heat in 2010 and left behind his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers.
While speaking on the Bob Does Sports podcast on Thursday, April. 2, James reminisced about his first year with Miami, a move that came after seven seasons without a championship in Cleveland and resulted in immediate backlash from both Cavaliers ownership and fans. Throwback photo of LeBron James on the Miami Heat.
Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty "I took the villain role," the NBA legend admitted on the podcast. "I was young. I was 25 years old.
A lot of people don't understand that was the first time I ever left my home... My first seven years with the Cavs, I still stayed in my hometown of Akron. " "So it was my first time ever leaving, going to Miami," he shared.