It’s not often sports heroes get to bring it back to where it all started.
LeBron James is going back to the team that drafted him in 2003 while he’s in his prime, but usually stars return in the twilight of their career.
The memories fans have of their favorite players loom over diminished play from the stars, and even greats like Reggie Jackson and Babe Ruth couldn’t bring back their hometown magic.
If James is hoping to make this a happy reunion, he’s going to have to buck decades of hometown has-beens.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Trump’s Message Worked on Latino Men
- What Trump’s Win Could Mean for Housing
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Sleep Doctors Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives
- Column: Let’s Bring Back Romance
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com