LeBron James and Dwyane Wade spent four seasons together with the Miami Heat, making the NBA Finals each year and winning two championships. It was one of the most successful partnerships in league history, but was admittedly a short-lived one. It didn’t need to end as quickly as it did however. According to Shannon Sharpe, it was on Heat management for not keeping the star duo together.
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The Hall of Fame tight end pointed to Pat Riley as the real reason LeBron decided to leave Miami and return home to Cleveland. Always known for his unconventional ways, both as a coach and executive, Riley’s micromanagement of his superstar proved to be the breaking point for James.
Sharpe stressed that the longtime team president has refused to get with the times, even if it means hurting his franchise in the long run. Riley has established himself as one of the most stubborn personalities in basketball, which came to light again during the Heat’s Jimmy Butler saga earlier this season.
“We can’t pretend like people aren’t fed up with Pat Riley and those archaic ways,” Sharpe said after questioning why D-Wade hasn’t been closer to the franchise since his retirement. The Denver Broncos legend also recalled the chocolate chip cookie incident that ended up being the last straw during LeBron’s final season with Miami.
James notably had an infatuation with a certain type of chocolate chip cookies, which he would snack on during team flights. However, during one flight home, when LeBron asked where his cookies were at, he was informed that Riley had taken them away. While some would view this as a small annoyance, this was the straw that broke the camel’s back for LBJ.
Now over a decade removed from his stint with the Heat, LeBron hasn’t been shy about discussing what drove him to search for greener pastures. He shared what cemented his decision to leave even more than his favorite snack being stolen away.
LeBron James wasn’t happy about D-Wade not getting paid
LeBron made waves on several topics during his viral appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, but one discussion that may have gone under the radar was his explanation for leaving the Heat. While the cookie train coming to a stop undoubtedly irked the four-time MVP, it was how the franchise treated his running mate that really got to him.
Riley’s hard-headed approach to winning ended up costing him arguably the best two talents the franchise has ever had. Just two years after LeBron joined the Cavs for his second stint, Wade surprisingly left the only franchise he’s ever known for the Chicago Bulls. As more information came to light, though, Wade’s decision looked much more sensible.
Despite leaving South Beach on bad terms, he was still welcomed home to his previous franchise with open arms. Wade, on the other hand, felt betrayed by the only NBA team he’s been part of. So while James’ relationship with the Heat soured near the end, he believes his former teammate got the worst of it.
