Newtowners Get Caught Up In LeBron James Hoopla

By Andy Hutchison

When National Basketball Association star LeBron James went to the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich on July 8 to announce which team he would sign with to continue his professional career, some Newtown residents took part in the excitement.

Basketball fans Mike Iorfino, Kevin Troy, and Mike Maher went down to absorb the atmosphere and sneak a peek at the 6-foot-8 so-called “King James.”

When they arrived for the spectacle around 5 pm only about 50-or-so fans surrounded the club, they recalled. By the time the made-for-television, over-the-top in the eyes of many spectacle rolled around at 9 pm, the area sidewalks were overflowing with fans, including many hopeful New York Knicks supporters. They anticipated that the big (in terms of height and on-court skill, and perhaps ego) free agent would help turn their favorite team’s fortunes around.

When James, who had spent his first eight seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, announced that he would play for the Miami Heat, there was “a ton of disappointment” among the Knicks fans, Troy said.

“When word got out on the street, it was a little chaotic there,” said Troy, adding that there was plenty of security on hand to keep the basketball fans, some of whom were jumping around and getting rowdy, under control.

In Cleveland, fans burned James jerseys. In New York, Knicks fans wondered when or if their long-struggling Knicks would turn things around. James was believed to be the significant piece of a rebuilt Knicks puzzle that would change the team’s fortunes.

“Just to get a glimpse of someone that talented was pretty special,” said Troy who, along with Iorfino, graduated from Newtown High in 2008.

“It was really exciting to go down there. This is one of the most exciting off-seasons in NBA history,” Iorfino added.

After all, James, touted as one of the best players in the game, has made a change that some predict could result in championships coming to Miami.

A supporter of the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, Iorfino believes the James signing could result in an LA-Miami matchup in next year’s NBA Finals.

“It’s definitely a possibility,” Iorfino said. “It’s going to be tough. They’re a really good team now.”