'The Decision'
LeBron James's live television announcement to join the Miami Heat reshaped how star free agency plays out.
On July 8, 2010, LeBron James announced in a live, hour-long ESPN special titled 'The Decision' that he would leave the Cleveland Cavaliers to 'take his talents to South Beach' and join the Miami Heat.
James joined fellow free agents Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, forming a superteam that reached four straight NBA Finals and won back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.
The broadcast's format drew criticism for its treatment of Cleveland fans, but the underlying strategy -- stars coordinating to join forces as free agents -- became a recurring pattern across the league in the years that followed.
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