Donovan Mitchell’s connection to LeBron James goes back further than most people realize, and with James now deciding his future all over again, that history has resurfaced. The Cavaliers star revealed he was a 13-year-old kid standing outside the building where James filmed “The Decision” back in 2010, the infamous ESPN special where James announced he was leaving Cleveland for the Miami Heat.

“I was staying at a friend’s house, and we went up and sat there for about two hours waiting for LeBron to show up,” Mitchell told NBA on ESPN. “I saw him go in. LeBron’s my favorite player. It happened right down the street from where I went to middle school, Greenwich Country Day.”

The 29-year-old shooting guard admitted he was actually rooting for the outcome that broke Cleveland’s heart. “I was just waiting for him to say he was going to Miami, because that’s where I wanted to go,” he said. “I wanted to play with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.”

16 years later, Mitchell finds himself on the other side of a James decision, this time hoping the answer favors his own team. The Cavaliers have emerged as one of the frontrunners for James in free agency, alongside the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers, and Mitchell has been vocal in publicly recruiting the four-time MVP back to Cleveland.

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Mitchell’s own situation adds intrigue to the pursuit. The 7-time NBA All-Star recently signed a four-year, $273 million extension with the Cavaliers, and Cleveland has also been clearing the path for a potential reunion, with James Harden declining his player option and Dean Wade departing in free agency.

Reports indicate the Cavaliers have even been preparing to hand James the starting small forward spot alongside Mitchell, Harden, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.

James, an Akron native, previously returned to Cleveland in 2014 and delivered the franchise its first championship in 2016 before leaving again in 2018. Whether history repeats itself remains unknown, but for Mitchell, the symmetry of once waiting outside for James’ decision and now waiting on another one is not lost on him.