Cleveland needed a win.
That’s a paraphrase of what Canadian coach Jon Cooper said Thursday night after his team won the 4 Nations Tourney in a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory over the U.S. that was as much a national therapy session as it was a hockey game, only in Cooper’s case, the line was, “Canada needed a win.”
In both cases, a sports event mattered more than anyone could have imagined it ever would.
In King James, which opens next week at Alberta Theatre Projects, the subject is the impact the arrival – and departure – and return of LeBron James had on the psyche of the sports fans of Cleveland, which has become infamous for its heartbreaking NFL playoff defeats over the years as well as losing repeatedly to Michael Jordan and the Bulls during the late 80s before LeBron arrived as a hometown hero and basketball prodigy back in 2003.
Written by Rajiv Joseph, King James is also a comedy about friendship and sports fandom as it tracks the relationship of two good buddies over the 12 years between LeBron arriving and the Cavaliers actually defeating the Golden State Warriors to win the 2016 NBA Championship.
Alberta Theatre Projects artistic director Haysam Kadri, who directs, sat down with CTV News to talk about King James.
1. What is it about sports fandom that makes it ripe for theatrical exploration? Theatrically, it creates a great setting for storytelling because it taps into passion, loyalty, and the emotional highs and lows that mirror real-life relationships. King James uses basketball as a backdrop and LeBron James as a metaphor to explore friendship, ambition, and how our personal journeys intersect with the cultural moments that define us.
2. How is the story of LeBron James and his relationship with Cleveland unique? LeBron James wasn’t just a great player—he was a hometown hero, drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers as a teenager and expected to carry the weight of an entire city’s championship hopes. When he left for Miami, it felt like a betrayal to many fans. But when he returned and led the Cavs to their first-ever NBA championship, he became a symbol of redemption and legacy.
His journey with Cleveland isn’t just about basketball—it’s about love, heartbreak, and reconciliation, which makes it an interesting and compelling foundation for the play.
3. Is there anyone playing basketball in King James? No, there’s no actual basketball being played on stage. Instead, the play serves as a shared language between the two main characters, who bond, argue, and navigate their friendship through their mutual love of LeBron and the Cavaliers.
It’s fun to use basketball terms to attach to dynamics in each scene (eg. “who’s on offence in this scene? Defence? That was a flagrant foul etc...”) The play is structured in four quarters and captures the energy of basketball without needing a physical game—it’s in the dialogue, the pacing, and the way their relationship ebbs and flows.
4. Who is your favourite basketball team and why?
I’m a Toronto Raptors fan! Their 2019 championship run was exhilarating! Plus, they’ve helped put basketball on the map in Canada in a way that has inspired a new generation of players and fans.
Basketball is still my favourite sport to play!
King James at the Martha Cohen Theatre from Tuesday, Feb. 25 through Sunday March 16. (Opening night Friday Feb. 28). For tickets and info, go here.
