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Cleveland Cavaliers: All-Time Starting Five

By James D. Tillman III

Jun 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after beating the Golden State Warriors in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after beating the Golden State Warriors in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates with the Bill Russell MVP Trophy after beating the Golden State Warriors in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates with the Bill Russell MVP Trophy after beating the Golden State Warriors in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

Small Forward: LeBron James

The Cavaliers selected LeBron James with the top overall pick in the 2003 draft. Although the Cavaliers had a number of remarkable seasons during James’ first stint with the team (2003-2010), they never won the title.

After seven years of coming up short in the postseason, James became the villain in the minds of some when he joined the Miami Heat alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

The trio helped lead the Heat to four straight Finals appearances, which included a pair of titles in 2012 and 2013. But James tipped the balance of power in the Eastern Conference again when he decided to return to the Cavs in the summer of 2014.

After falling to the Golden State Warriors in six games in the 2015 Finals, James and the Cavs redeemed themselves by defeating the Warriors in seven games in this year’s Finals series, giving Cleveland its first title in over five decades.

This was an impressive accomplishment for a couple of reasons. First, no team had ever come back from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals. Secondly, the Cavs knocked off a Dubs team that had won 73 games during the regular season.

Last, but certainly not least, James became the first player in history to lead the Finals in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.

More hoops habit: 50 Most Underrated Players In NBA History

Such an accomplishment not only makes James the easy choice as the team’s greatest small forward, but also the greatest player in Cavaliers history.

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