BY KEVIN KOPLIN
During this past National Basketball Association (NBA) offseason, the Miami Heat became the center of the basketball world. Two of the world’s greatest basketball icons, LeBron James and Chris Bosh, joined Dwayne Wade in Miami to form what some would call a super-team.
James, Wade, and Bosh were all free agents at the end of the 2010 basketball season, meaning that their contracts with their previous teams expired, and any team with enough money could sign them. The Heat had the most salary cap room out of all 30 NBA teams and really made the most out of their money by investing in these basketball super stars.
After countless meetings with teams like the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, New Jersey Nets, Miami Heat, and Chicago Bulls, Wade announced his decision. On July seventh he joined Bosh in announcing that they would both head to Miami and play for the Heat. The next day, James also shared with the public what team he would play for on his infamous “The Decision” TV special. With about 9.5 million people anticipating his choice, LeBron James told the world that he would join Wade and Bosh in Miami.
The three players have a previous history together; they were all drafted in the first round of the 2003 NBA draft, were on multiple All Star teams together, and won the gold medal for the USA Basketball team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Through all of those experiences, Wade, James, and Bosh created a friendship that would impact the basketball world. They talked, tweeted, and texted each other all summer and decided that Miami was their best option if they wanted to continue playing on a team together. The arrival of these players has certainly created a lot of talk in the sporting community, and many people are predicting championships for years to come.
“In the past few years, the LA Lakers and Boston Celtics have been dominating the game,” junior Ryan Muchnick said. “Now a new team is in the mix. I’m definitely going to watch more games now; every single one is going to be really exciting.”
This “dream team” has created a newfound excitement for basketball in South Florida; Heat fans are pumped up for this upcoming season. The evidence is indisputable; ticket and jersey sales have shot through the roof and South Florida is abuzz about their new favorite sports team.
“I was shocked when I found out LeBron was headed to Miami,” junior Max Frost said. “It seemed impossible to have all these great players on one team.”
With this excitement and hype comes new fans and critics. People have been jumping on the Heat bandwagon since these decisions, and others are waiting for the team to fail. With such big stars and even bigger egos, fans wonder if this team really is to good to be true.
“With such a star studded roster, the Heat will become a common enemy to the rest of the league as well as other basketball fans,” Muchnick said.
While the opinions about the new Heat team may vary, one thing is extremely clear. Basketball fever has certainly struck South Florida, and the fans’ anticipation for the upcoming season is overwhelming. With Bosh, James, and Wade, the Heat is taking one step closer to another NBA championship.
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