One of the most famous of all the characters in the King James Bible is The Prodigal Son. It’s the story of a rich boy who leaves home to experience all the glories of the world. He travels to glitzy ancient places, sees extraordinary and sexy things, and partakes in all manner of pleasure. The King James version of the story lacks specifics–but it sounds an awful lot like The Prodigal Son went to South Beach in Miami. (Many even believe he was lured to his indulgences by a charming man with a slicked-back, Mephistophelian hairstyle.)
Basketball superstar LeBron James takes his nickname, King James, from that very bible. Now in his grand free agency, James is listening to offers to return home to Cleveland, where the glamour is muted and where he began his basketball career. In the bible story, the Prodigal Son returns home and–despite protests from family members who stayed loyal and never left–is celebrated with the ultimate feast. They famously slaughter the “fatted calf” for him and all is forgiven. In the case of LeBron James this would be spelled “fatted Cav“, but the rest of the parallels are here. The once angry and forsaken father, Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert has seen his way to preparing a feast for LeBron if he’ll just come home.
