The Miami Heat’s Big 3 Era with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh was probably the Zenith in franchise history. Miami competed in four straight NBA Finals and captured a pair of NBA titles in the trio’s four seasons together.
However, the Big 3 Heat went through a lot of growing pains. About a month into the 2010-11 regular season, Miami had a record of just 8-7 after it recorded its third straight loss.
According to ESPN, at one point early in James’ maiden season in Miami, he called his longtime friend — Randy Mims — and told him he was coming over to his residence to discuss a few things.
“I’m coming,” James told him. “I need to talk to you.”
James was dealing with more than just an underwhelming start to the season for the Heat. He was also dealing with being away from his family, living in a hotel, and being seen as a villain in the NBA.
He showed up at Mims’ seat early in the morning and cried, questioning whether he had made the right decision by letting the Cleveland Cavaliers join the heat in free agency.
“I’m not sure I’m doing this right,” James said in the driveway of Mims’ place. “I’m not sure I made the right decision to come here.”
MIMS then assured James that the condition would grow on him in due time.
“You got it, man,” Mims told James. “We’re going to figure it out. I get it. It’s a bit new for you. “
James recently looked back on that night and hinted that his mind was racing at the time.
“It was just a lot of S – it was just going on in my head,” James said of the night. “I was still young. … I was asking myself. I know I probably beat the F— out of him like three o’clock, four o’clock in the morning. I pulled up and I told him to get out and literally sat on the hood of my car. He came out and we just talked things through. “
Maverick Carter, another person close to James, thinks conversation has been key to James’ career.
“These are tremendous moments when you can seek someone you admire, someone whose word you value and someone who is enough of a good person, but realistic to help you . “We’ve all gone through things in our lives and if you’re around someone who gives bad advice or mishandles it or thinks about themselves at those times, it can go really bad for someone.”
James seems to feel the same way.
“I needed him in that moment and he came through me,” James said.
According to MIMS, James “took off” from there.
“The rest is history,” Mims said. “From there he took off. We never had those conversations again. “
According to ESPN, MIMS has played an important role in James’ NBA career behind the scenes.
James definitely figured out how to succeed with Wade and Bosh in Miami. The Heat won back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013, with James earning Finals MVP honors both times.
James won his first NBA title after he and the Heat eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games in the 2012 NBA Finals. The Thunder were led by the young trio of Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and James Harden.
James then won his second and final championship with the Heat as the team dispatched the San Antonio Spurs in seven games in the 2013 championship game. Miami was in serious danger of losing the series outright, trailing 3-2 at one point before picked up wins in games 6 and 7.
James didn’t stop winning titles after his time with the Heat ended. He helped the Cavaliers win their first championship in franchise history in 2016 and then led the Los Angeles Lakers to their 17th title a few years ago in 2020.