Cleveland had LeBron James as player.
2003 NBA draft . LeBron James , who was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 , left for the Miami Heat in 2010 , but re-signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers on July 11 , 2014 . LeBron Raymone James ( [ ləˈbrɒn ] born December 30 , 1984 ) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . After graduating , he was selected by his home team , the Cleveland Cavaliers , as the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft . James led Cleveland to the franchise 's first Finals appearance in 2007 , ultimately losing to the San Antonio Spurs .