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- LeBron James related his return to Cleveland to Tom Brady’s homecoming in New England and offered some advice to the quarterback.
- James remembers not getting a very good welcome when he played his first game against the Cavaliers as a member of the Miami Heat.
- More NFL news here.
LeBron James knows exactly what it’s like to return to the city where you made your name as a professional athlete while wearing another team’s uniform. So he is well-suited to offer up a few bits of advice to Tom Brady who heads back to New England for the first time while wearing the colors of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Brady, who spent 20 years playing for Bill Belichick and the Patriots, winning six Super Bowls, already knows that the fans at Gillette Stadium won’t be rooting for him to win, he just hopes they will respect his efforts.
Related: Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski Talk Facing Bill Belichick And The Patriots For The First Time
One way he can do that, according to James, is by taking control of the game early.
“I remember that day like it was yesterday. December 2, 2010,” LeBron said about his return to Cleveland for the first time. “It was rough. I got no sleep the night before. I already knew the adversity and how crazy it was going to be. It was very challenging.
“I know Tom did so many great things down there in Foxborough, down there with the Patriots. But they’re gonna root for who they root for and you know they’re gonna root for the Pats. It can get a little ugly.
“He’s got to go in there and quiet the crowd like I was able to do the night of December 2, 2010.”
James finished that night with 38 points, eight assists and five rebounds in a 118-90 Heat victory and the fans booed him almost continuously throughout the game.
Considering he led the Patriots to 17 division titles, 13 AFC Championship Games, and nine Super Bowls in 20 years, Tom Brady probably won’t get batteries thrown at him like LeBron James did after “The Decision,” but you never know.