Ten years later, the chemistry is still there. And so are the shoulder shimmies.
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2016 championship squad gathered in Europe this week for a reunion trip to mark a decade since they pulled off one of the most shocking Finals comebacks in NBA history. And at a dinner in St. Tropez, LeBron James and J.R. Smith reminded everyone why that team had so much personality.
A video posted to social media shows the two sitting side by side at a restaurant table when a Chaka Khan remix kicks in. Without even looking at each other, they both start dancing in their chairs. Arms waving. Heads bobbing. The same energy that defined their run through those playoffs, back when Smith hit those back-to-back threes in Game 7 and James just stared at him like he knew something nobody else did.
The reunion brought out most of the key guys from that roster. Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye, Iman Shumpert, and Matthew Dellavedova all made the trip across the pond. One notable absence: Kyrie Irving, who reportedly stayed in South Carolina for the NBPA Top 100 Camp, working with high school prospects. Smith took a playful shot at him online about missing the trip, which felt about right for how those guys always talked to each other.
What made that 2016 team different
It’s easy to forget now, but that squad wasn’t just talented. They were weird in the best way. They had a chemistry that didn’t feel manufactured. Guys genuinely liked being around each other. James averaged 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 8.9 assists in those Finals and took home MVP, but the team’s vibe was bigger than any stat line. Smith was the wild card who could go from launching a 30-footer to stripping Steph Curry in transition, all in the same possession.
And that Game 7 performance? Down 3-1 against a Warriors team that had won 73 games in the regular season. Nobody had ever done that in the Finals before. Cleveland hadn’t won a championship in over five decades. The memes, the cigars, the tears from LeBron on the floor — that whole run is still one of the most emotional moments in NBA history.
Ten years later, the golf clubs are out, the wine is flowing, and apparently the dance moves haven’t changed one bit.
The trip is a reminder that some bonds don’t fade. Even without the rings and the trophy celebrations, these guys still move the same way when the music hits. And for Cavs fans, that’s probably worth more than another championship parade.
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