It's surreal that we had Wiggins once upon a time. My god, when we think back to winning that lottery.... during that finals series, we'll remember the breadth of events that lead to our summer of hoops glory.
I still remember when we won the #1 pick, ESPN shows James in his locker getting focused before the game, someone comes over and whispers something in #6's ear.
I think at that moment in time, you could see in James' eyes, his mind drifting in another direction, I think that's when he knew that his next move was now truly out there on the horizon. I think he had thought about it, it just never became real until that moment when we won the lottery.
Not to completely derail this thread, but here's the craziest facts Cleveland could ever spit pertaining to luring LeBron back home and the Cleveland curse.
75% of the time that James was away, we won the #1 overall pick. 3/4 years.
What casual fans don't understand: We lost Anthony Davis to a coin flip. A mother fucking coin flip. If we got Anthony Davis, LeBron would have told Miami to trade him back to Cleveland last year! This whole situation feels like it was somehow destiny.
We were happy as clams to have a crack at #1 in the deepest draft since 03. LeBron still seemed like a complete fantasy. Jigo would have signed his name in his own blood that LeBron James was never coming back to Cleveland (Tlyons too).
As Clevelanders, we were happy to have won anything, we were smitten to take the #1 overall pick in the draft. I think history will forget that Joel Embiid caused David Griffin to have a prolonged 2hr erection as he tore the fucking rim off the Cleveland Clinic Courts. To you older posters, that would be like (no sex from your wife) and suddenly Kate Upton has you in the breakroom and she's offering up a titty fuck and a free blow-job.
How do you not take it? Principles, character, promises be damned! You just take it, right? You just take Embiid, or forever be flaciid.
Point being, Joel Embiid was the most tantalizing hoops prospect since Kevin Durant. He made 10 ft seem like a Nerf closet hoop. And wouldn't it be Cleveland's newfound luck (some might call it destiny) to pass up on the Kate Upton blowjob that was Joel Embiid.
His knees revealed themselves to us one week prior.
The electric Canadian comes out wearing an electric mariachi suit, does a little pirouette in the lane, we all get hard (for a minute) and meanwhile LeBron James was thinking at his locker (back then) that Cleveland now had the ammunition to make that big trade that we never made in a decade.
Cleveland gave up something to get something, and now we're a powerhouse.
Andrew, I'm sorry I used your thread like a personal jizz rag to commemorate Cleveland's historical change of luck and scenery You were a big part of it Andrew, thanks.