Everyone deserves their shot at happiness. 

How many athletes have chosen to search for it in Philadelphia?

Credit to LeBron James, who has forged some new and interesting paths for himself over his (double-checks bball-reference.com) 23-year NBA career.

He made THE DECISION to leave his home in northeast Ohio for Miami 16 years ago, a move that made perfect sense for a then-25-year-old looking to spread his personal and professional wings, even if announcing a breakup with your hometown team on national television was, in the end, a bit of an own goal.

He made what at the time seemed like an all-time, headline-making move when he returned to Cleveland, this even after Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert took to the team website to write a letter in comic sans font where he had referred to James’ choice to leave Cleveland in the first place as a "cowardly act of betrayal."

It was as hero-making choice as a modern athlete could possibly undertake — leaving the glittering shores of South Beach (and a very mad Pat Riley) for the winter cold of rust-belt Cleveland, eventually leading the Cavs to their first championship in franchise history and the first title of any kind for ‘The Land’ in 50 years. 

Then it was off to Los Angeles, which seemed like his final destination, following a road lit by NBA greats before him, from Wilt Chamberlain to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Shaquille O’Neal. When he led the Lakers to their last championship in 2020, it seemed like James was going to become forever part of the firmament of........

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