LeBron James.
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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.
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“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.
The “mindset” behind his move was “do something different,” he said.
“I wanted to treat it like a college, when guys get their caps,” he explained. “I wanted to treat it that way, but also giving opportunity… give some money back to Boys and Girls Club, I think we raised like $2.5 million, $3 million… something like that.”
LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers poses with his family in February 2023.
Credit: Harry How/Getty
“I didn’t know or feel like the hate that I got from that, the backlash from that was going to happen because of how I felt doing it,” James said. “So I allowed the media, I allowed everybody to put me in a dark place — and me enjoying basketball… and life in a dark place has never been me.”
He made clear, “Everybody who knows me knows I’m just a big-ass kid. I love having fun. I love people around me having fun, enjoying life.”
Lebron’s debut season with the Heat ended in a Game 6 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals. The athlete explained the reason behind his performance, and how he turned it around the next season.
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Bronny James #9 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles in March 2026.
Credit: Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty
“The reason I played the way I played in the finals is because I wasn’t me,” he recalled on the podcast. “Shedded that black hat, shedded that villain role, I’m gonna get back to my f—ing self and boom! We came in… balls to the wall and was able to make it happen.”
LeBron and the Heat went on to win back-to-back NBA Championships in 2012 and 2013. He was named NBA Finals MVP both times.
More than a decade later, LeBron — now with the Lakers in his 23rd NBA season — is still racking up points for his team. However, he’s starting to feel the physical effects of more than 20 seasons on his body.
“I feel like s— right now,” the basketball veteran told reporters after leading Los Angeles to a road win over the Houston Rockets on March 18 with 30 points, five rebounds and two assists, plus a block and a steal.
“Look at me right now,” he said. “Right now, I feel like s—, but in the game I felt pretty good.”
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