With no visible end to the ongoing NBA lockout in sight, LeBron James , Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh returned to their home turf on Saturday as the hosts of the South Florida All-Star Classic, a charity exhibition game held at Florida International University which featured a slew of NBA studs.
A capacity crowd of roughly 4,000 packed FIU’s U.S. Century Bank Arena to watch Lebron and Co. “battle it out” on the hardtop with NBA talent such as Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony of the Knicks, Chris Paul of New Orleans, Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City, Rajon Rondo of Boston, and others.
Although several NBA players have played in similar events this summer, this game, organized by the Heat’s Big 3 in conjunction with FIU men’s basketball coach Isiah Thomas, was the first in Miami.
“We want to show our fans it’s all for them,” Wade said. “We’re happy we can bring some kind of basketball to the fans.”
In the end, D-Wade’s squad came out on top, beating Lebron’s team 141-140 in overtime.
The proceeds of the game benefited the Mary’s Court Foundation, which works with disadvantaged youth and families in the Garfield Park and Lawndale areas in Chicago and was established in honor of Thomas’ late mother, Mary Thomas.
Following the event, Melo’ – who played on Wade’s team and hit a shot that send the game into overtime – said that in the absence of NBA games, these exhibition games will continue. He is targeting the “middle of November” for a similar charity game in New York.
“We just want to keep giving back like this,” Anthony said.
In the video below Lebron James thanks the crowd following the 2011 South Florida All Star Classic.
via Miami Herald
