LeBron James got emotional during his trip back to Cleveland on Wednesday night as he watched highlights from his 25-point Eastern Conference Finals Game 5 performance from 2007.
The heartfelt moment occurred during a stoppage in play during the first quarter of the Lakers ' 129-99 loss to the Cavaliers at Rocket Arena.
James, 41, teared up as the clip played, attempting to wipe his face with his Lakers jersey before grabbing a towel from underneath the bench to try and presumably dry the tears from his eyes.
Lakers forward LeBron James reacts on the bench during a video tribute shown on the scoreboard during a timeout in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on Jan. 28, 2026. David Richard-Imagn Images
According to the Associated Press , it was the first time the Cavs had honored the four-time MVP by playing the highlights from that game, usually putting clips on the video board of his Game 7 effort in the 2016 NBA Finals when Cleveland won it all over the Warriors .
The emotional moment came on the same night James — who finished the night with 11 points and five assists — reached 60,000 career regular-season minutes, becoming the first player to do so in NBA history.
James spent 11 of his 23 years in the NBA with the Cavaliers over two stints.
He eventually left Cleveland for the second time in 2018 via free agency to go to Los Angeles .
Questions have continued this season about what James' future holds for him in LA and in the NBA.
LeBron Jamesof the Los Angeles Lakers looks on before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 28, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NBAE via Getty Images
ESPN reported Wednesday that the Cavaliers "would gladly welcome" the NBA superstar back this summer if he wanted one more go in Cleveland.
Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell seemed intrigued by the idea when speaking to the California Post ahead of Wednesday's game, but he ultimately said that wasn't something he had control over.
"That ain't up to me," Mitchell told The California Post. "That ain't up to me. I'm focused on these guys in the locker room. And from that point, everything else kinda goes where it does. But that ain't me.
"I'm focused on what we got here and I'm excited for that."
