LeBron James; Kevin Love and JR Smith
From Left: LeBron James, and J.R. Smith with Kevin Love.
LeBron James endorsed a heartfelt reunion between two former teammates
The Lakers star shared a photo of J.R. Smith and Kevin Love hugging
The trio were part of the Cleveland Cavaliers 2016 team that won the NBA title
LeBron James just took a walk down memory lane!
The NBA star shared a photo of his former teammates, J.R. Smith and Kevin Love, on his Instagram Stories on Thursday, May 29. “My dogs right there!!” James, 40, wrote alongside an image of Smith, 39, and Love, 36, hugging it out.
The heartfelt reunion on Thursday showed the former Cleveland Cavaliers players embracing one another. In a video shared by several outlets and the NBA, the two hold onto one another as they walk along the baseline, chatting in one another’s ear while on the court at Madison Square Garden after Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers.
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An ebullient Love then joyfully hugged another friend afterwards to Smith’s approval, who shouted, “Let’s go!”
James, Love and Smith were all members of the Cavaliers, who won the 2016 NBA championship. Smith, a New Jersey native, played for the Knicks for three years before his five-year stint with the Cavs began in 2015.
For Love, the emotional reunion comes one month after he announced the loss of his father, Stan.
LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers smiles with teammates Kyrie Irving #2, Kevin Love #0 and J.R. Smith #5 after defeating the Toronto Raptors in game five of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena on May 25, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement
LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers smiles with teammates Kyrie Irving #2, Kevin Love #0 and J.R. Smith #5 after defeating the Toronto Raptors in game five of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena on May 25, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement
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The Miami Heat player missed the team’s playoff loss to the Cavs on April 26 for personal reasons, which he revealed a day later in a lengthy post on social media in honor of his dad.
"Dad, you fought for a long time. The hardest stretch being these past 6 months,” Love wrote. “The most painful to witness being these last few weeks. And even at the end as you continued to deteriorate — I still saw you as a Giant. My Protector. My first Hero."