Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert is looking back on one of the most infamous moments in franchise history with a different perspective, admitting the letter he published after LeBron James left for the Miami Heat in 2010 was a mistake while also clearing up the long-running mystery surrounding its Comic Sans font.
Speaking on the latest episode of Smart Girl Dumb Questions with Nayeema Raza, Gilbert reflected on the emotional response that followed James’ nationally televised “The Decision” special, during which the four-time NBA champion announced he would leave Cleveland in free agency.
Gilbert said he first learned of James’ decision during the television broadcast.
“Well, what happened was, remember, he went on national television and did a show about where he was going to go play next.”
When asked whether that was how he found out James was leaving, Gilbert responded simply.
“Yes.”
Gilbert explained that neither James nor his representatives informed the Cavaliers before the announcement, leaving the organization blindsided.
“They never told us in advance.”
Dan Gilbert admits he regretted publishing the infamous LeBron James letter
Gilbert acknowledged the frustration he felt at the time but said the letter was intended for Cavaliers fans rather than James himself.
“Yeah, we were not happy with it. And I thought it kind of trolled the Cleveland fans, who I loved. My letter wasn’t to him. My letter was to the Cleveland fans.”
He also admitted he regrets how he handled the situation.
“Yeah. And it was stupid overall. If I had another shot at doing it, I would have toned it way down.”
Gilbert said he apologized to James after the two eventually met following the superstar’s return to Cleveland in 2014.
“Yeah. I mean, I admitted that the letter was a stupid thing.”
He added that the controversy overshadowed much of his professional career for years.
“And for me personally, at that time, if you Googled my name—I mean, I think I’ve done some other stuff in my career—and that would be the only thing that came up. That was embarrassing for me.”
Gilbert revealed that one or two people reviewed the letter before it was published, including a member of the Cavaliers’ public relations staff and his then-wife. Although they suggested he reconsider releasing it, Gilbert admitted he was too emotional to change course.
Comic Sans became an unexpected part of Cavaliers history
CLEVELAND – MARCH 5: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the game against the Detroit Pistons on March 5, 2010 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers won 99-92. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2010 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Cavaliers owner also addressed another enduring part of the controversy: the use of Comic Sans.
“What was weird is that somebody on my team, just as a joke, I think the week or two before, changed my font to Comic Sans.”
Gilbert said the font change was unrelated to the letter itself and that he likely would have used Times New Roman otherwise.
“So it wasn’t changed just for that letter. It was changed weeks ahead of that.”
Asked whether he was a fan of Comic Sans, Gilbert laughed off the notion.
“No. I got as much heat for that as I did for the whole letter.”
Despite the fallout from James’ departure, the relationship between the two ultimately healed. James returned to Cleveland in 2014, led the franchise to its first NBA championship in 2016 and fulfilled his promise of bringing a title to the city before leaving for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018.