Winning a championship in Cleveland with the Cavaliers meant everything to LeBron James, who grew up in nearby Akron, Ohio.
Therefore it is with much anticipation and joy that James prepares to celebrate with his hometown fans in Akron, just one day after he and his Cavs teammates were lauded by an estimated 1.3 million people in downtown Cleveland Wednesday.
James and his foundation, the LeBron James Family Foundation, are hosting a free, first come, first serve event in downtown Akron on Thursday night.
“This is a historic moment for the city of Akron,” said Mayor Dan Horrigan, via Sam Amico of Amico Hoops. “We’re coming together to show our pride and gratitude to our hometown hero. LeBron also wanted an opportunity to speak to the people of Akron and the children in his programs that he has always said are his inspiration.”
Horrigan will make a special presentation to James to celebrate his achievement of bringing a title back to Cleveland. The event starts at 8:00 p.m. at Lock 3, an outdoor park in downtown Akron.
While the venue is relatively large, with parking for up to 7,000 vehicles, per ohio.com. That said, the city of Akron is “prepared for any eventuality,” according to Akron chief of staff James Hardy.
“If we do have an overwhelming response to the event, downtown is optimal because the streets will be shut down, there’s room to spread out, and we handle large crowds there,” he said.
Based on the response the Cavaliers received in Cleveland, it seems safe to say the city of Akron is about to experience a wave of humanity unlike anything it has ever seen. There will be no charge to get in and no charge to park, which will only add to the appeal.
You have to imagine James might get a bit emotional during the event. He played his high school basketball in Akron at St. Vincent-St. Mary and is still close friends with many of his high school teammates.