During Saturday’s Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony, Miami Heat owner Micky Arison went viral over a candid and hilarious quote about the trio of LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. Harking back to an old quote made at the very start of the era, he earned a major reaction from the crowd, and it went viral online.
“In 2010, with Dwyane, LeBron, and Chris Bosh, we knew we could win. Not one, not two… I guess it was just two,” joked the owner during his speech.
The moment is a callback to the summer of 2010, shortly after LeBron’s decision to join the Miami Heat and establish one of the league’s most iconic superteams. With Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh beside him, expectations were sky-high, and many believed a dynasty was inevitable.
During one moment with the media, before they even played a single game together, LeBron made a promise that went down in the history books. He predicted not one, or even two championships, but more than seven titles in Miami, and he claimed to have a strong belief in pulling it off.
“Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven… and when I say that, I really believe it,” said James.
It was a wild moment that was met with massive cheers and praise for the King. Fans were so excited to have him that they likely didn’t even realize how hyperbolic the statement really was. Of course, you can also see Pat Riley quietly observing, as if he knew the words would come back to haunt him.
Naturally, James and his new teammates would go on to lose the Finals that year in a case of instant karma. They completely folded against the Dallas Mavericks, and LeBron James was pinned as the scapegoat with averages of 17.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game. There was even a stretch in Game 4 when he scored just eight points in 45 minutes.
LeBron was able to redeem himself with back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013 with impressive Finals victories over the Thunder and Spurs, respectively. But after losing in 2014 to the Spurs, he ditched the Heat and has yet to return.
If you’re keeping count, LeBron is at least five titles short of that infamous goal he set, and many Heat fans still hold it over his head today. While the quote was unrealistic from the start, nobody expected LeBron to bail after just four seasons and two championships. He left behind Wade and Bosh when they were still productive on the court, and many critics (including Pat Riley) believe he gave up prematurely.
oday, the Heat finally got a sliver of revenge by putting James on the spot and bringing that moment back into the national spotlight. While Micky Arison was only joking with his former player, it makes for a good lesson about what can happen when you over-promise and under-deliver.
Fortunately, it seems LeBron has learned his lesson, and there isn’t any lingering resentment from either side. For the fans, however, that unforgettable moment will always be tied to James’ legacy in Miami.
