LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers star, experienced intense backlash after leaving his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, at age 25. His decision to join the Miami Heat in 2010 resulted in immediate backlash from both Cavaliers ownership and fans. James stated that he was in a "dark place" after leaving and that he wanted to treat the team like a college and raise money for the Boys and Girls Club. His debut season with the Heat ended in a Game 6 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals, but he rebuffed his performance the next season. He and the Heat won back-to-back NBA Championships in 2012 and 2013, with both being named NBA Finals MVP both times.