Decade of dominance King James reigns supreme

The 2010s for James started with The Decision, the widely criticized televised announcement of his choice to leave Cleveland for Miami. (Lost in the hubbub: The show raised more than $2.5 million for charity.) He was with the Heat for four years, went to the NBA Finals all four times with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, finally won the title in 2012－"it's about damn time," he said at the trophy celebration－and led the way in a Game 7 win over San Antonio to go back-to-back the following year.

"He grew immensely here as a leader," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He impacted winning as much as with his leadership as he did with his talent. I think that was the most important thing he learned with us. And he's been able to take that to different franchises and continue using that as a template."

Cleveland was devastated when he left. It forgave him. James returned home in 2014, took Cleveland to four consecutive finals, then led the Cavaliers to the 2016 title and came up with one of the biggest plays of his life by pulling off a chase-down block of Golden State's Andre Iguodala in the final seconds of Game 7 of that series.

And in 2018, he was off to LA.

Going Hollywood made so much sense－he's making movies, has a production company, has a program called The Shop as part of his 'Uninterrupted' platform featuring an array of guests from Drake to California governor Gavin Newsom, who signed a bill on the show that will allow college athletes to get paid for the use of their likeness and sign endorsement deals.

"There's a lot of moments from this decade that would be up there, winning the two Miami championships, winning a championship in Cleveland, the chase-down block," James said. "But the best moment? Definitely marrying Savannah. That would be No 1."

James and longtime partner Savannah Brinson got married six years ago. They already had two sons－both are very good basketball players－and added a daughter in 2014.

James also spent most of the last decade as a lightning rod for critics.

He used his voice often on social matters, speaking out after the killing of unarmed Florida teenager Trayvon Martin and campaigning for Hillary Clinton. He supported Colin Kaepernick's methods of protesting police brutality and racial injustice.

"I don't live in regret," James said. "There's no moment in this last decade that I wish I could have back. If a situation was bad or you feel like you could have done better, then I learned from it."

He doesn't know how much longer he'll play. He laments missing time with his children. His "I Promise" school that opened in 2018 in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, has been an immediate success story, and he wants to see that enterprise continue growing. Some love him. Some don't. He doesn't mind.

"When you believe in your calling or you believe in yourself, then it doesn't matter what other people say or how other people feel," James said. "And if you allow that to stop you or deter you from your mission, then you don't get anywhere."

And in the 2010s, nothing deterred James.

ASSOCIATED PRESS