LeBron James Should Not Apologize To Cleveland Fans

LeBron James walked out on the court during pre-game warm-ups and Cavs fans greeted him with boos and cacophonus chants. 

James responded with five rebounds, eight assists and a season high thirty-eight points, including twenty-four in the third quarter.

Since joining the Miami Heat, James has now become the most hated man in Cleveland since Art Modell. 

Fans burned their LeBron jerseys, have even used his pictures as dart boards, and a Cleveland sports radio show host hired a witch doctor to put a curse on LeBron.

When Craig Sager asked LeBron if he wanted to apologize to the city of Cleveland, James responded,"I don't want to apologize. My intentions were not to hurt anyone".

Some of individuals will detest this statement, but the truth of the matter is that LeBron does not have to apologize.

James is one of the biggest names in sports, he made a business decision when he went to Miami as a free agent. Other than to compete at the highest level his body will allow him to, LeBron owes the city of Cleveland nothing.

Should LeBron have handled his annoucement to go to Miami differently?—Perhaps.

But "Quitness" t-shirts have nothing to do with the way James handled his departure. No matter how James would have left, it still would have garnered much of the same reaction.

Through all of the negativity, LeBron's seven years in Cleveland have become an afterthought.

During his time in Cleveland, the team went 349-225 and James averaged 27.8 points, seven rebounds, and 6.9 assists while winning two MVP awards.

In the postseason, Cleveland went 42-29 and James averaged 29.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 7.3 assists.

He may not have won a championship, but he put Cleveland on the map and gave the citizens something to be excited about.

LeBron also made his contributions in the Cleveland community.

He was a one-man economic machine, filling the seats in The Q and making downtown Cleveland vibrant during gametime.

The Cavaliers franchise was valued at $258 million before James, and right now the franchise is valued at $476 million.

Despising LeBron is the current fad, but like all fad, it too will undoubtedly pass.