Return of the King: LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Greatest Comeback in NBA History

by Brian Windhorst, Dave McMenamin

The New York Times bestselling, behind-the-scenes look at the 2016 NBA Championship, now in paperback!
What really happened when LeBron James stunned the NBA by leaving a potential dynasty in Miami to come home to play with the Cleveland Cavaliers? How did the Cavs use secret meetings to put together the deal to add star Kevin Love? Who really made the controversial decision to fire coach David Blatt when the team was in first place? Where did the greatest comeback in NBA history truly begin-and end?

RETURN OF THE KING takes you onto the private planes, inside the locker-room conversations, and into the middle of the intense huddles where one of the greatest stories in basketball history took place, resulting in the Cavs winning the 2016 NBA title after trailing the Golden State Warriors three games to one.

You'll hear from all the characters involved: the players, the executives, the agents, and the owners as they reveal stories never before told. Get the background on all the controversies, the rivalries, and the bad blood from two reporters who were there for every day, plot twist, and social media snafu as they take you through the fascinating ride that culminated in a heart-stopping Game Seven.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, Basketball, Biography, Audiobook, History, Journalism

265 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love basketball!

Full disclosure though, I'm not a big Lebron James fan. I mean he's obviously one of the 5 best players in history but I'm still not a huge fan of his. My favorite player growing was Allen Iverson and my current favorite player is Russell Westbrook. So you may be asking yourself why is she reading a book about Lebron James?

The answer is I can't stand The Golden State Warriors.

And I don't even know why I hate them. Its nonsensical and irrational. I just CAN NOT STAND The Warriors.

So last years historic Cleveland Cavaliers came back from being down 3-1 to win the championship was so amazing(Also if you get a chance to watch the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary Believeland its great). That finals series was a captivating thrill ride from beginning to end and this book gives us an inside look at all the behind the scenes drama. And drama it was! Screaming matches, tears, and a twist ending.

This was a great book to read as we enter the most wonderful time of the year ( no offense Santa) the NBA Playoffs (it starts tomorrow at 3) especially since most people believe this years NBA Finals will be a repeat of the last 2 Finals with a re rematch between The Cavs & Warriors. Unfortunately I think The Warriors will win but Hey! we were all wrong last year so fingers crossed.

Return of the King is not a book I recommend to the casual sports fan but if you love basketball and want to relive last years historical NBA Finals then this is your book.

2017 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge: Read a Book About Sports.

[Brandice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though I know the outcome because I watched it unfold live, beginning back in 2014, it was fun to read Return of the King, about Lebron James’ return home to Cleveland after 4 years and 2 championships with the Miami Heat. I have been a long time HUGE fan of The King, beginning with his first days as a Cavalier, then going to Miami, then back home to Cleveland.

The Warriors vs Cavaliers has become one of the NBA’s biggest rivalries, with the two teams facing off three years in a row in the Finals now. Return of the King covers Lebron’s decision to return home and the first two seasons in this rivalry, as the third hadn’t happened yet at the time.

This book is easy to follow and not overloaded with statistics. It was enjoyable to relive the highs and even recap the lows. I think most Cavs fans (and basketball fans who are non-Lebron haters) would like it.

[Dan Ott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge basketball fan and Cavs fan, so I was pretty excited about this book. There were a couple interesting bits that I hadn't heard before, but on the whole this book was...not great. Boring and unimaginative writing that showed almost no insight or thought behind it. It read like a high schooler's book report - basically just a listing of facts with a random adjective stuck in to try to spice things up.

[Alex Rohani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any basketball/sports fan will enjoy this read. I’m not a big Lebron fan in anyway but loved reading about all the things happening on the inside during Lebron’s first two years back in Cleveland’s

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn’t know how he did it but Tolkien really knew his NBA history.

[Evan Williams]

it's a nice ND yea u should read it

[Muriithi Kariuki]

I read the return of the king. The author is brian Windhorst. I would rate it 5 stars. It talks about Lebron when he took the cavaliers to the championship and he made a 3-1 comeback. It first starts when James, the main character, is in the Miami heat. The Cavaliers are trying to get him back to their team however there are some issues. I discovered it at the library because I wasn't liking my other one. What I really liked most about this book is when they win their championship and I imagine the warriors canceling their other celebration. I rated the book 5 stars cause it went full in depth in the whole story and journey and gives me an inside look at what goes on in an nba team and the businesses that are in the league. The book was so fascinating that I could not put it down. I am planning to read another book by the author because he has another three books. I would read it cause i loved this one and it exceeded my expectations. I think someone who really loves sports would like to read this book. If you read sports books and like lebron you will read it too.

[Sam Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rated Return of The King by Brian Windhorst five stars because it exceeded my expectations, and I couldn’t put it down. Set in the 2010s during the years after Lebron James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the story follows the team as they try and win an NBA championship with the new team they assembled. I discovered this book when looking for a new book on destiny discover.What I really liked about it was when it shows us what happened during the process of eventually winning an NBA championship When the process was described it made me think about what really goes on in an NBA franchise and the struggle and challenges faced by both players and members of the front office and because of this experience it exceeded my expectations, and I couldn’t put it down. I also liked when it described the games When this event was described it made me imagine the games from a different point of view as I was at those games feeling the energy and the sights and sounds not just seeing them of a TV and because of this connection it exceeded my expectations, and I couldn’t put it down. This book teaches the reader to not give up when you face challenges or things don't work out and to never give up on trying to reach your goals. I would read another book by this author because I like the way he writes from the different perspectives of people from the events and captures what I like about sports. If you read sports books and liked it, then you would really enjoy this book.

[Simonas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Puiki, jei.
Esi didelis krepšinio ir NBA fanas. Bet ne krepšinio kaip paties žaidimo, o kaip jis valdomas ir kas vyksta užkulsiuose. Istorijos fokusas, kaip Klyvlendo miestas ir Cavs klubas ėmėsi žygių susigrąžinti Lebron James į Klyvlendą ir pirmus du jo sezonus ten. Istorija prasideda nuo Žydrūno Ilgausko asmeninės šventės, kuri buvo Lebrono viliojimo plano pradžia.

[James Laughery · Rating 5 out of 5]

The game was over. The Cavs were champs. The city of Cleveland was a winner. And LeBron James, at long last, had delivered on his promise of a title for his hometown.
James was back on the floor, hammering it again with his fist, this time in joy.

"Cleveland," he said with tears in his eyes, "this is for you."

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not very familiar with the ins and outs of professional basketball the same way I am with Football and baseball. That might be why I found this book so interesting, it was a cool look behind the scenes of how the cavs put their team together and came together to win a championship.

[Bobby Luke · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of the subject matter, and for that reason I think this book is getting a higher rating from me than it should. The writing style is just terrible. There were lots of interesting facts about the run up to the championship, but they were presented in a non-stop ever running drivel. It felt more like someone had put a bunch of facts in a list, sorted them into categories, and then formed them into paragraphs, and added chapter headings by picking out one of the facts from each category. So this book was basically all substance, no style. And the substance was very poorly organized. Every chapter was all over the place, there was no flow, and no sense of where the author was going.

In a nutshell, great story, terrible book. I did enjoy learning some of the random facts that I learned. The intro by Richard Jefferson was the highlight of the book. So that’s my recommendation, don’t even read the book, just read the intro and go find a video reviewing the Championship.

[Austen Dalquist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible. Had me reliving watching these moments on tv. Awesome insight and writing

[Tyler Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today, Lebron James, who has had many books written about him, is letting me interview. I am one lucky person to be able to interview a basketball legend like Lebron.

Me: Lebron How would you describe yourself physically?
Lebron: I would describe myself as a very tough person on the basketball court. I am always on the court putting up shots. And I am always working out to make myself stronger.
Me: Wow what a response, what do you do as your job? And what are some hobbies you have?
Lebron: Well my job and hobby is basketball, playing basketball against all these skilled players is such a challenge for me. Winning and losing is all a part of the game, but I will work harder for the next game so that I will win.
Me: Well I could tell you have been putting that work in on the court. But who would you say your rival or rivals are?
Lebron: Well Tyler, I have and had many rivals throughout my NBA career. There are people like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and more people. These people inspire me to be the person I am today. They also drive me to work harder so that next time my team and I will beat them next time.
Me: Lebron, who are the greatest teammates you played with so far?
Lebron: There are so many people, I can't even think right now, but if I had to choose my top five teammates I would say Kyrie Irving, Dawyne Wade, Chris Bosh, Kevin Love, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. With all these people I have won NBA championships.
Me: Well you just answered one of my questions, but what is your greatest accomplishment?
Lebron: Well just one of my greatest accomplishments is winning multiple NBA championships. Winning these just shows how far I have gotten in life, and there is still more to come. That's not my only accomplishment though, I made a wonderful family and I donated to many charities.
Me: You seem like a very humble person, Lebron, but who has inspired you to keep going and to never give up?
Lebron: Well as a kid I watched Michael Jordan on TV, and the way he played was just so cool to me. And I thought to myself that I wanna do something like that. So I started playing basketball and I practiced everyday and went to the NBA straight out of high school

Well thank you Lebron for letting me interview but we have run out of time. Is there anything you would like to say before I leave? ¨Always work hard for your goals¨. Well Lebron I got to go now.

*This was a fictional interview

[Marty Monforte · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Return of the King" by Brian Windshorst and Dave McMenamin is a book about Lebron James' return to the Cleveland Cavaliers after spending four seasons with the Miami Heat. James had started his career with Cleveland, but then left to join Miami in 2010. In 2014, after four winning four consecutive Eastern Conference championships with Miami, James returned to Cleveland. In 2016, the Cavaliers, lead by James, won the NBA championship.

The book chronicles the events that lead to James' return to Cleveland and the championship season of 2016.

When James was in his final season with Miami, the Cavaliers retired the jersey of former Cavalier and friend of James', Zyndrunas Ilgaukas. The Cavaliers were trying to bring James' back to the team. So, they developed a clever plan. The organization knew that James and Ilgaukas were good friends, so the Cavaliers scheduled the ceremony on a day when the Heat had the day off. James was invited by the Cavaliers' organization to the ceremony. James accepted the invitation, much to the chagrin of the Heat organization. This event set in motion James' eventual return to Cleveland.

During this time, David Griffin was hired by the Cavaliers to be their new general manager. Griffin was looking to hire a new coach. He was interested in collge coaches John Calipari, Bill Self, Tom Izzo, and coach K. He was also interested in Alvin Gentry, Tyron Lue and David Blatt, a coach who had much success in Israeli basketball.

Griffin eventually hired Blatt to be the head coach, with Lue coming in as the assistant coach. Blatt had a "record of championships," but was also a risk because he had never coached in the NBA. Lue was hired as the assistant. This may have created an awkward situation for Blatt, because Lue was the runner up for the job.

Blatt was eventually hired with he belief that the Cavaliers were going to be rebuilding their team around recent number one draft picks Kyrie Irving, Wiggins and Anthony Bennett. They did not expect James to return.

Meanwhile, Miami had just lost the NBA finals to the San Antonio Spurs. James met with Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade to discuss their situations. Wade and Bosh stayed with Miami, but James remained undecided. James met with representatives from the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks. He also met with Pat Riley, the general manager of the Heat, but did not commit to returning to Miami. Riley was frustrated because he "wanted to close the deal" at the meeting.

After James signed with Cleveland, he called Kevin Love who was with the Minnesota Timerbwolves, but was unhappy. He had a successful career with Minnesota, but the team struggled to win. So, within a day or two Love decided he wanted to go to Cleveland and join the Cavaliers with James. Soon afterwards, he was traded to Cleveland in a deal that involved Wiggins coming to Minnesota.

Soon afterwards, Mike Miller, Iman Shumpert and Timothy Mozgov joined the team. The Cavaliers now had a good set of role players to complement James, Love and Irving.

Blatt had a tough transition to the NBA. James did not always listen to Blatt. Additionally, Blatt sometimes seemed nervous when he drew up plays or made mistakes when he was in the huddle describing the play to the team. What made things worse, was that Lue seemed more poised and more effective than Blatt at times. Blatt is a good coach, but he may have struggled with the transition from Israeli basketball to the NBA. He also may have lacked confidence when dealing with James.

In James' first season back with Cleveland, the Cavs lost in the finals to the Golden State Warriors. The Cavs lead 2-1 in the series, but eventually lost. After the Cavs took the series lead, the Warriors made the necessary adjustments as the Cavaliers struggled with a myriad of injuries. After the series loss, James was frustrated about the injuries and the defeat. However, after meeting with Love, both decided to return to the Cavaliers.

Blatt returned for his second season with more confidence. However, with the Cavaliers at 30-11 and having the best record in the Eastern Conference, Blatt was fired by the Cavaliers. This decision did not make sense to some people given how good the Cavaliers' record was. Nevertheless, the decision was made and Tyrone Lue took over.

Dellavedova also returned. Shawn Marion retired and Mike Miller was traded. James struggled in his second season back with Cleveland with a bad back. The Warriors started 24-0 and had the best regular season in history as they finished 73-9. The mark was better than the 1996 Chicago Bulls (72-10); the 1972 Los Angeles Lakers (69-13) and the 1997 Bulls (69-13).

However, after trailing 3-1 to the Warriors, the Cavaliers came back and won the 2016 NBA Finals 4-3. It represented the high point of Lebron James' career and one of the best moments in Cleveland sports history. It was the first title in Cleveland since 1964 when the Cleveland Browns won the NFL championship.

People will always remember the excellent regular season that the Warriors had. Additionally, people will always remember the championship that the Cavaliers brought back to the city of Cleveland. James' return to Cleveland proved to be successful. He had accomplished his goal of bringing a championship back to the team that had drafted him and the city that had supported the early part of his career.

James has had a successful, but nomadic playing career, characterized by drama and controversy. It has featured the highlight of bringing a professional sports championship back to Cleveland as well as the unhappiness that Cavaliers fans felt when he left in 2010. In 2018, James left Cleveland once again, this time to join the Los Angeles Lakers in what seems like a preparation for his post playing career of Hollywood actor and celebrity. It leaves fans wondering if we are watching a basketball player or a celebrity getting ready for his second career. At times, James seems to have one foot in his NBA career and one foot in his acting/ entertainment career. It has added yet another layer to the good, yet complicated legacy of Lebron James.

Nevertheless, as the book "Return of the King" shows, the fans of the Cavaliers will always have the 2016 NBA championship that James helped to bring back to the city of Cleveland and the Cavaliers' organization.

[Justin Genus · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great story told by a great storyteller. . . If you dont think about it too much.

Windy is, above all things, a storyteller. He does a lot of research and gathers anecdotes and info that no one else can get. So when you listen, you’ll feel like an insiders too.

But, in order to make some of his stories work, he’ll say things like “In that moment, Steve Kerr was thinking. . .” or “LeBron’s motivation was. . .” Likewise, he’ll weave anecdotes together in a manner that is inauthentic because we are watching in hindsight. Any critical listener begins to wonder how our intrepid report knew exactly what was going on in Cleveland.

All that said, this an enlightening time capsule of a story that goes well beyond the 4 lines of a basketball court. Windhorst’s knowledge of the ways that interpersonal dynamics inform the success or failure of sports teams make him a unique and welcome voice in sports media.

9/10 as fiction; 6/10 as history. 7.5/10 for me. Worth the squeeze if you miss the glory that was the mid-2010s NBA.

[Nathan Towns · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book didn't tie up ANY of the loose ends left over from The Two Towers and frankly it felt like it was part of an entirely different trilogy. Instead of finding out what happened with Frodo and Sam, we learn about this fellow named "LeBron James." Instead of the gorgeous, poetic prose from the first two, peppered here and there with songs, we get this incredibly prosaic, almost journalistic prose with this one.
I'm marking this as 3 stars, but really that's because I started to get invested in the new story and this thing called "Basketball"; but don't read this thinking it will live up to the first two.

[Madison Margolin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was brilliant and gave me great insight to Lebron James’s basketball back around and not just his personal life. I’m a big fan of his and the authors did a great job of explaining every single game moment and place and time it took me one year to read the whole book but I don’t think it’s meant for my age group. I wouldn’t read this book again only for the simple fact I think that it was way too confusing for me and took me a while to read but it’s a good dip in and out book. It’s worth it

[Dan White · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great read! I'm not a huge fan of Windhorst but I like McMenamin and love the Cavs! It was a lot of fun to read through the drama that everyone in he city of Cleveland went through since Lebron came back home. I would've like some more insight into player mentality and inside comments that we don't hear through the media. The constant stat updates weren't super necessary but I enjoyed them. If you're a fan of sports, Cleveland or just a good underdog story... give this a shot!

[Stan · Rating 4 out of 5]

LeBron Jaaaaaaames! Easy read, some good behind the scenes reporting by Windhorst (who has spent his career as a journalist specializing in up-close observation of James and the interpretation of James' interviews and social media commentary) on the Cavs' 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 seasons.

[Taylor Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best-written sports books I've ever read.

[Lamar W · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was great

[Ryan Beltz · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re a Cleveland sports fan—or just someone who enjoys a good redemption arc—Return of the King reads like a greatest hits album from the most cathartic, heart-pounding two-year run in NBA history. Windhorst and McMenamin skip the pregame warmup and get right into the action, chronicling LeBron’s epic homecoming without drowning us in the usual origin story fluff. No need for a full biography on every character—we all know who LeBron is, and thankfully, so do the authors.

What they do give us is the nitty-gritty: the high-stakes chess moves, the locker room dynamics, and the brilliant chaos behind the scenes. You feel the tension when David Griffin axes David Blatt and hands the clipboard to Ty Lue—a move that could’ve backfired spectacularly but ends up being a masterstroke. You get a real sense of how veterans like Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye weren’t just bench depth but vital to the team’s chemistry and psyche. And Lue? The man deserves more credit—he got everyone, including The King himself, to buy in.

But where this book earns its spot in the upper tier of sports lit is in how it captures the basketball. The strategy, the personalities, the bold front office decisions—it’s all laid out with insight and urgency. This wasn’t just a team that came back from 3–1. It was a perfect storm of talent, timing, and just the right amount of dysfunction.

Still, I couldn’t help but want more when it came to the emotional backbone of this whole saga: the city of Cleveland. The bond between LeBron and Northeast Ohio is touched on, sure, but there’s so much more there. We’ve waited 52 years for a championship. We’ve lived through The Drive, The Fumble, The Shot, The Decision. A little more time spent exploring the emotional release, the neighborhood watch parties, the parade hangovers—that would’ve elevated this from a really good sports book to a great one.

Also, the post-title fallout—the slow unraveling of the Big Three—feels more like an afterthought than the dramatic epilogue it deserves. Maybe that’s another book entirely.

All in all, Return of the King is a must-read for Cavs fans and hoops heads alike. It captures the Xs and Os and behind-the-scenes drama with style. It just needed a bit more soul to truly feel like a love letter to the city that finally got its ring

[Sean Le · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am always excited reading about Lebron James, so you can imagine my enthusiasm when I first discovered this book that talks about the time he returns back to Cleveland after his successful stint with Miami. It was fascinating to read in the beginning about the behind-the-scenes details and have a closer insight from the players view of what was going on. How much it took, and the sacrifices needed to build up a return for Lebron back to Cleveland.

Dave McMenamin and Brian Windhorst are amazing at writing down informative data in a precise way. Using simple yet strong words to describe the events that led to the culmination of the Cavaliers Dynasty with Lebron at the forefront. McMenamin and Windhorst really showed their amazing control of diction in this novel about the success of Lebron’s return to Cleveland.
Their use of oxymoron as well in the book was used nicely to describe the triumphs of Lebron on the court, to the deafening silence when he lost a match. However, the way they presented the information in a stagnant, and repetitive way starts to get boring fast, there was an absence of unique ways to draw the reader in. The plot structure was connecting, but still going at a lethargic rate as the information is being provided chapter after chapter. The events that occurred were in order, but it was still shown in the sluggish way as if the whole point of the book was to spoon feed information in a lackluster manner. Overall, the book was an interesting read, it had some good points here and there. But there were too many bad points that ultimately killed my interest in the book. I would recommend this book only for those who are really interested in the events that transpired during Lebron’s journey back with Cleveland again and want to learn more details about it. This book would be interesting for those who are into factual sports books.

[Andrew Ramsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eight years ago, the second (behind Chelsea Football Club winning the Champions League in the 2020-2021 season) greatest moment of my sports watching life occurred, when Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers completed their 3-1 comeback against the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals. At the time, I was only 14 years of age, not really understanding the history I had just witnessed. But now, at 21, reading this book and taking a trip down memory lane has helped me appreciate this moment of greatness EVEN MORE. This Warriors team was deemed the greatest of all-time, after finishing the season 73-9, Stephen Curry winning the first EVER Unanimous MVP, the team breaking three-point records, attendance records, scoring records, pace of play records... You get the point. This is single handedly the greatest comeback the sports world has EVER seen, and it means even more to me knowing it was my Cleveland Cavaliers who did so.
Brian Windhorst is one of my favorite journalists in all of sports. He and Dave McMenamin did a phenomenal job throughout this entire book. Whether it was giving the reader behind the scenes information regarding Lebron's decision to leave Cleveland for Miami, leave Miami for Cleveland, Lebron calling Kevin Love and telling him he wants to play with him, Channing Frye and Richard Jefferson playing MASSIVE roles on and off the court in helping Cleveland sail through the unbelievable 2015/2016 season, Ty Lue taking $100 from each member in the Cavaliers locker room after going down 3-1 to the Warriors in 2016, etc... Just an all-around very insightful and enjoyable read. I had a really hard time putting this book down when I started it. That's how much I enjoyed it. Anything is possible!

[Jordan Beams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book I read this term "Return Of The King" by Brian Windhorst and Dave McMenamin is by far one of the most entertaining books I have ever read. In this book you understand a whole lot about the National Basketball Association and how trading and selling a player works. I found it very interesting to read about the inside stories and I learned about things that took place that was never in the news. For example, I didn't know that LeBron was the one who initiated a conversation with Kevin Love to try and talk him into playing for the Cavaliers. Adding Love to their roster would make a huge improvement to their team and everyone knew it. Reading this book made me admire Le Bron James even more, not only for his amazing basketball abilities, but for his courage and persistence. I realized how brave he was for leaving the Cavaliers, who had picked him number one right out of high school, to go play for the Miami Heat. Cleveland was his hometown and he was their beloved star. It took a lot of courage for him to leave all of that and play on a new team in Miami. After winning a NBA Championship for the Miami Heat, I now understand LeBron's need and want to win a championship for Cleveland. The people of Cleveland weren't happy with him when he left, but they sure were happy when he came back and did what he said he was going to do; win a championship. LeBron James has always been one of my favorite NBA players and I loved watching the Cavaliers or the Heat when he played for them. I would recommend this book to any sports fan, especially basketball enthusiasts who love a good book about comebacks and persevering through difficult times.

[Kainoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. I used to play basketball and still watch it all the time so I feel like I can relate to the text and understand whats going on. However, I have never been a fan of LeBron James. I CAN NOT STAND him but I would agree that he is one of the best players of all time but I am still not a fan of his. It was cool to see this series, that I had watched on tv a couple years ago, from the Cavaliers perspective. Originally, I had watched this series as a Warriors fan. So although I already know the outcome and what happened, it was still entertaining to read.


I feel like any basketball fan would love to read this. It's cool to see all the inside and behind the scenes stuff that happens without us knowing. You get to see a lot of LeBron James back around information and get involved in his personal life. It is also very cool to understand where he came from, how basketball affected his life, and the decisions he made that affected his career. "He would sign a one year deal for $20.7 Million."(pg. 48). This deal changed James career entirely.


I feel that the theme of this book is to not give up and that it's not over until it's over. If the Cavaliers had given up after being down 3-1 than they wouldn't have won the finals, their season would have been for nothing, and they'd be going home empty handed. Because their team gave it their all and tried, they were able to overtake the Warriors and win the series. I think that teenagers should read this book because as we live in a very sport focused wold, you can relate to the text easily. It also teaches a very valuable lesson.

[Dante Paradiso · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a must for any Cavs fans, but is incredibly disappointing for those of us who followed the story of this team over the past two years. It is a missed opportunity. The reason is simple: the book is really a compendium of the very in-depth and excellent reporting that McMenamin especially, as the Cavs beat writer for ESPN, and Windhorst did throughout the Cavs run. The book is well-written and the reporting is seamlessly woven into a single narrative, but aside from a bit more insight from Gilbert and Griffen, there is nothing new here if you were following this story closely. For example, the clearly were not able to score interviews with LeBron or Blatt to give us real insights into the dynamics after some time and perspective: we are left with the remove of the writers' views of the interactions and the many statements made at the time of the feud. How much credit should Blatt have gotten for defensive adjustments in the first run to the finals (vice Lue as "defensive coordinator"? What does Irving really think about how things went down? Same thing on the Gilbert-LeBron or Love-LeBron dynamics. What do they think of each other now? Those are the big ones, but I could go on. Folks like Timo and Delly have left the team, so their insights would be great to have. In sum, McMenamin in particular did a phenomenal job covering the team over the past several years; the book suffers in that he does not go much beyond his own reporting to give us more depth to the backstory...

[Brent Soderstrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through GoodReads First Read program.

I am not an NBA fan. I haven't followed the NBA since the early 1990s. I am a sports fan though. Regardless, this was an interesting read. It follows the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons. Before the first season LeBron James had decided to return to Cleveland after having been with the Miami Heat and winning a championship there.

This book really shows how dominating LeBron is with the Cavalier franchise all the way from personal moves to plays being called in huddles during timeouts. This was really a problem in the 2014-15 season when Blatt was the coach because he really let LeBron run things. He obviously didn't feel like he could stand up to him and he realistically probably couldn't. LeBron is obviously a great player but with those great players can oftentimes come problems. Regardless, the Cavaliers went to the finals and lost to the Golden State Warriors.

Season 2015-16 Blatt started out as head coach and the team was still doing well but the GM Griffin decided to go with Lue, who was the assistant coach. He actually had LeBron's respect so he could talk tough with LeBron. That was really needed. The Cavaliers were down 3-1 in the finals against the Warriors again yet came back to win it all.

I knew about LeBron but learned about a lot of the other players on the team which focused on the big three-LeBron, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. It was a good book. Not a good enough book to get me to follow the NBA again but enjoyable.

[Carter Bozich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the book "Return of the King" by Brian Windhorst and Dave Mcmenamin. This is a book about Lebron James (or the king of Basketball) and his return to his home state, Ohio. It was a fantastic book with lots of detail. I chose this book because I love Lebron James, and he had the greatest comeback of all time. In 2010 Lebron left his hometown to go to Miami. He did this because he could not win in Cleveland. Everyone in Cleveland hated Lebron, and everyone in Cleveland burned his jersey.
In 2014 on July 11, the King came back to Cleveland. Everyone was super excited and Lebron was immediately forgiven. He went back home because he felt what he did to his fans was wrong. After Lebron came back, The Cavs traded their rookie Andrew Wiggins, for a star power forward, Kevin Love. There was also another young star point guard already there, his name was Kyrie Irving. They already looked like a championship team. The Cavs went to the finals for two straight years. The first time they lost to the Golden State Warriors, led by MVP Stephen Curry. In 2016, something magical happened. The Cavs were down three games to one. They came back and beat the Warriors. Everyone praised Lebron for his incredible comeback. It was the most incredible comeback in NBA history!