Nine years have passed since the Cleveland Cavaliers downed the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals—an eternity in both real years and basketball years. Kindergarteners from back then are in high school now; both franchises have been reinvented multiple times.
And yet, the legacy of the only NBA team to rally from a 3–1 Finals deficit continues to endure. On Wednesday, the Miami Heat’s game against the Cavaliers brought together three of the ’16 team’s principals—guard Richard Jefferson, forward Kevin Love and center Tristan Thompson.
Jefferson is a color commentator for ESPN, Love is on the Heat, and Thompson plays for Cleveland. Before the game, the latter two players mobbed the former in a hilarious scene.
Richard Jefferson is greeted by Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love ahead of calling the Heat-Cavs game on ESPN. 🏀🎙️pic.twitter.com/mHgRYwQUWl
https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1897446228654510196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1897446228654510196%7Ctwgr%5Ef43fa2aac6ec61b3f0f78a91215326c6b4b2955d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnba%2Frichard-jefferson-mobbed-by-former-teammates-kevin-love-tristan-thompson-heat-cavs
All took different paths to the ’16 Cavaliers: Jefferson came at the tail end of a long career, Love arrived in a high-profile 2014 trade, and Thompson was a homegrown talent.
However—thanks to forward LeBron James, guard Kyrie Irving and others—all were united by one of the most extraordinary sports moments of the 21st century.
