again. tonight on unguarded with rachel nichols, nba superstar lebron james as you have never heard him before. from his awkward meeting with the cavs owner who previously described lebron as cowardly. >> to sit down with dan, man-to-man. >> to his triumphant return to his home town. >> it was like, wow. >> for my kids it is even more challenge. because their dad is famous. >> and whether he will ever abandon cleveland again. >> should people be nervous about this? >> no, they shouldn't be nervous.

welcome to "unguarded" it's been another roller coaster 24 hours in the sports world. the nfl was rocked again just last night. when the associated press reported that the league's head of security, jeffrey miller, was sent the incendiary elevator tape of ray rice all the way in april. miller is denying he saw it. in the nba a domestic abuse case with the arrest of forward jeff taylor. for a change not all the news was bad. one of the year's most heartfelt moments happened last night when the retiring derek jeter said good-bye to yankee stadiumen the most derek jeter like way possible. a goose bump inducing walkoff rbi in the bottom of the ninth. by this morning, tributes were pouring in from all over. including this post from lebron james. of course, as the jeter end his journey, lebron is just starting a new one, with cavaliers training camp opening this weekend. before he got back to

basketball, he sat down with us, in this, "unguarded" exclusive. his first extended interview explaining just why he made the decision that rocked the sports world earlier this summer. >> so back in ohio where it all began. >> i love you. i am back. >> lebron james finally made his decision. he is coming home. >> you said the whole time you were in miami, it was in the back of your mind a little bit. did you know this was going to happen? >> no, i didn't. i had dreams about going back hope. i thought it would happen a lot later in my career. going back and kind of, you know, having a couple more years leften my ein my career. finish it off that way. didn't thing it would happen this soon. >> they are going to see lebron. >> what was the moment after you made the announcement achts , a became official when you slipped on the cleveland cavaliers gear

first time. >> just happened recently. just started going back up to the practices last couple weeks. and was there ready for me to get a workout in. it felt great. i am not a big selfie gift. i did take a couple pictures of me in my cav gear for show. >> there was some damage from the time you left before, the fans burning your jersey. you seemed to repair that over the years before you left miami. but that letter from dan gilbert stuck with a lot of people. for people that didn't remember, cowardly portrayal, shocking act of disloyalty. what were the hard parts of getting past that for you or for your family? >> well i think, ultimately, in order for me to, ultimately make the decision to come back i need to sit down with dan. face to face. man-to-man. >> he came done to visit you in miami during your free agency period. he said you two hadn't spoken in four years. what was that conversation like? >> well, you know, a straight forward conversation.

no beating around the bush. basically said, you know no matter what decision you make. you want to clear the air. where we can see each other. in public. we see each other wherever. i am competing against you. we can always shake each other's hand and look at the fun times that we had in cleveland while we were together. instead of focussing on one night. that kind of, you know, everyone kind of focuses on. >> let's talk about the flip side. do you think if you guys had not lost to san antonio in five games in the nba finals you might still be in miami? >> greater chance for sure. it would be hard to lead back to back to back championships. we try to go for, four. but obviously, you really can't, live on, and thing of what may have happened, just kind of, for me, kind of live in the moment. >> you told everybody what your decision was with an essay in "sports illustrated." very different than when you left cleveland for miami. the entire first part of the

essay didn't talk about basketball. it talked about, your attachment to northeastern ohio. you said -- it is where i walked. where i ran. where i cried. it is where i bled. >> when you walk the streets, and, you still go today and you see the path that got you where you are today. if the's like -- so humbling. you know -- the people all around there, so tough. and nothing is, nothing was given to us. we worked for everything. and i mean my basketball team. we walked from door to door. knocking on doors and trying to sell duct tape and things of that nature to get money for uniform. >> i was with you in akron when you came back for the homecoming event, the rally. 25,000 people filling the stadium. not to see you play. just to be near you. it was team off to come out.

and singing the song "coming home." then when i walked on stage. and i just heard the roar. [ cheers and applause ] excitement from everyone that was there. from the smallest kids. ultimately. the biggest person you could find in the room. and it was like, wow. i, this is -- this is the emotions that came out on paper from the essay. this is what i was talking about. this its what it is. >> now that you have had a few months to sit with it why do you think this was the right choice for you? >> well not only the right choice for me but for the city of cleveland, akron, where i am from, state of ohio. i didn't just make the choice for myself. i had in the back of my mind. so many people who will benefit. who all are defiened by where w come from and where we go in life. and i think akron, ohio was meant for me. >> i am not sure there is any

athlete as associated with the home town as lebron is. much more coming offen the rest of the show. lebron has plenty to say on the racism scandals, the arrest of domestic violence arrests and personal thoughts as well, including what it was look to grow up without ever knowing his father and talk about the heavy burden he is carrying with cleveland sports fans. lots of good stuff ahead. with quicken loans, about g is that you have a mortgage expert on the other line that's always gonna find out the best possible solution. we just don't treat you as a loan number. we wanna make sure that we help you out. we're people just like them. ya know, and we know that they have jobs, they have kids, they have soccer. their home is where their heart is. so we wanna make sure that we take care of them. call quicken loans today for a mortgage experience that's engineered to amaze! ♪

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welcome back to unguarded. we have been talking to lebron james. his return to cleveland has the kicked the hype machine into full gear. city is prepping a 10-story banner of james to tower over downtown. remember cliff hasn't won a major sports championship of any kind in 50 years. so, lebron knows how much pressure there is on him to deliver one. pressure he is trying to manage better than he did at his last stop. >> not two, not three. not four. not five. >> four years ago you came to

miami talking about titles. this time, you are going back to cleveland and it was almost the opposite. you say, wait a men out. don't expect three championship dynasties because i show up. i understand what it takes to get there and what it takes to win. it is so difficult. it is the hardest thing have ever done in my life. >> lbj is back. >> as you try to tamp down expectations, las vegas has you as favorites to win? >> i can't guarantee it. one thing i can't guarantee it. i will be the best leader. every single night. i will be that leader. i will have the guys prepare. try to play at a high level every single night. i can't guarantee a championship. that is our gel. it its a process. it is a process. ♪ ♪ you have already been putting in a lot of work to try to make the season successful. been on a pretty strict diet i understand. you look lighter. how much weight did you lose?

>> i lost a few pounds. i haven't been in this weight class. >> give me a ballpark? >> in the 250ish range. a lot lighter. that i have been playing at the last few years. but i feel good. >> the diet was strict, right? >> very strict. 67 days. >> what did you eat, not eat? >> what i couldn't have? no carbs, no sugar, no dairy, no refined sugar, no nothing. mality, fish, veggies, fruit. >> what was the hardest thing to give up? >> ooh, it was either -- pancakes or chocolate chip cookies and ice cream. >> did you go to bed dreaming of pancakes you could not have? >> had a cookie monster chasing me a few times in my dreams. >> are you quicker on the court? >> i am, not such a good thing for the competition. >> we have also seen you this summer supporting the cleveland browns. attention getting back, quarterback, johnny manziel.

you and johnny are friend. se signed to your marketing company. he is a very different person. what is ate bis it about you tw? >> the attention that we receive at a young age. i don't agree with a lot of decisions he made. he is, a 19, 20, 21-year-old kid. you define, a 19, 20, 21-year-old kid who hasn't made a bad decision in their life. it's unbelievable. >> you texted him out of the blue one day, saying, hey keep your head up that kind of thing. you saw the flak he was taking. >> i texted him out of the blue one day. i told him, you want my advice, i am here for you. and if not, then i understand. he texted me back, she'd i am ready to listen. and from that point we have been very, very close. >> pretty amazing you both ended up in the same city. >> right.

right. right. i don't get it. i don't get it. the world works in mysterious ways. >> you did sign a piece of paper with cleveland. you signed for two year. should people be nervous about this. is the decision coming of on us? >> i plan on finishing my career back home. and you know that was a business decision. >> but cleveland fans don't have to worry? >> no, not just got to get excited. >> lbj! >> i don't even need to say that. >> now, lebron's plan is to keep this contract short. so he can resign with the cavaliers after new television money is expected to raise the nba's maximum level salary. he insisted to me that's the only thing behind this two-year deal. promising there will be no decision part three down the road. all right. you are going to want to stay with us through the break. on the other side. lebron weighs in on the nfl's domestic violence problem, the nba's racism problem and recent events in ferguson, missouri.

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welcome back to unguarded. i'm rachel nichols. showing you an unguarded exclusive. lebron james' first extended interview since returning to cleveland. early in his career, lebron deferred on social and political issues like michael jordan. in his recent years he's become outspoken. when the donald sterling recording, surfaced. lebron denounced him and

discussed a boycott if he wasn't removed. with racism charges rocking yet another franchise, lebron isn't holding back this time either. this has not been a great year for nba owners in general. we saw donald sterling forced out of the lead, extremely racist comments. and atlanta hawk owner selling his team. y and the hawks' gm was reported with his own racist comments. >> danny was the gm when i was there in cleveland. i never got that sense about him. that doesn't mean what he said was right. absolutely wrong. very insensitive. and, no room for that in our sport. not even a league, but no room for that in society.

>> you spock out ke out on the g issue and trayvon martin. how has your willingness to take a leadership role changed as you got older? >> for me if i feel passionate about it. if i feel something need to be said or done. i voice my opinion. and i will speak without knowledge. educate myself before i dive into a situation. >> we have had the incidents in ferguson, missouri, in the past few months. >> don't shoot! don't shoot! >> beside the specifics it did spark the national conversation on the way america sees young black men. what do you think about where we are right now?voiced my opinion trayvon martin, and ferguson, incident, and having two boys of my own. if just one day my kids left home to go anywhere you expect your kids to return. i couldn't imagine them not

returning home because of some one else's, i don't know, not thinking, or, or, cowardice act or whatever the case may be. you know, but we know racism is still alive. and you note only thing that i can do -- as a role model. i feel look i am a leader in society. just to teach my kids and teach the people who follow me what the right way is. >> you are a big football fan. your boys love football. >> yes, they do. >> you have the same problem every parent in america had over the last month. the ray rice video comes out. you got to talk to your kids about it. >> yes. just as simple as this. never put your hands on a woman. never put your hand on your classmate, that is a female. it's not allowed. it's not condon't ed in this ho and shouldn't be condon't in this world. your dad would never put a hand on your mother. when i was born, a rule written on my bed, from day one, nothing

any one should condone. a cowardly act. >> the nfl not the only league dealing with controversies. u.s. soccer has fallen under heavy fire including from myself for alug hope solo to continue playing, despite being charged with two counts of domestic assault. the nba is looking into the case of jeff taylor arrested on a domestic abuse charge thursday. the organization announced tonight that taylor will be held out of all team activities during the investigation. but he will still get paid. the move seems a smart one. it satisfies the need to give taylor due process before deciding any harsh discipline while still recognizing the seriousness of a public facing employee having been arrested on multiple assault charges. it might just be the new template for sports leagues going forward. all right. coming up. we have more from lebron james. he gets very personal. revealing how he raises his kids and just what he thinks about his own father. the one he has never met.

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welcome back. i am rachel nichols talking with lebron jam. like millions of americans, lebron is a father for him there is an extra layer. when he sits in the stand watching his kids' basketball game his form of television cameras often show up. how do you raise a kid to be a good person in that environment? and what lessons did lebron take from growing up without having ever met his own father? take a listen. >> you have two boys, did you play basketball. and your oldest starting to get a lot of attention. >> too much. >> you were on the"sports illu,t have a father most famous basketball player in the word.

how do you guide through him what it is about in the next couple years? >> that's the tough part. as you said, rachel, there is no, you can go to border's, there is no booklet on telling you huh to raise your kids. you know every single day always challenging. for my kids even more challenging because their dad is famous. i feel like the morals and the goals and the things that i teach them i just want to lay the path for them and let them at the end of the day make their own decisions. hopefully, the, the way that i have been teaching them will, will, when they get to a fork in road they will know what is right, and not go left. >> you have talked about how important being a dad is to you? you have been open about the fact that is partly because you didn't know your father groipg. you want to be the opposite. i was pretty surprised to see your instagram post from earlier this year, you basically wrote a net to your dad. you said, you know what, i don't

know you. i have no idea who you are. but because of you is part of the reason i am who i am today. the fuel that i use, you not being there, part of the reason i grew up to become who i am. what made you decide to -- go out look that. >> i don't know. i don't know. but i think it is the true. you know my whole life growing up, i just kind of always, why me? why me? why wasn't, why didn't my dad want to be around? i feel like i am a pretty cool kid, good kid. why wouldn't he want to be around for me. i got older had my own family, i started to think, the reason he wasn't there is the reason why i became so strong mentally, so loving to my mother, and i am who i am today because he wasn't there. because i use it as motivation, everything that i have gained, he has a role in it. because i used it. >> have you ever thought as you have gotten older, what if, should i explore a relationship

with him? >> of course there is the what if situation, has popped into my head. but i think, i think i am good where i am. ha-ha-ha. >> well with everything that you have got ahead of yourself. basketball, new baby on the way, raising your family in ohio, a word or two that comes to mind as you think about what as it head? >> wow, that is a great question. one word i can describe what is a head, is faith in myself, my family, the community. north east ohio, the whole state of ohio. all of the -- huge responsibility to myself. understanding playing the game of basketball is much bigger than dribbling, dunking, the faith is the thing i can use for the very near future. >> faith, indeed. there are a lot of people who will put their faith in lebron's move to cleveland. it will be an interesting

season. for sure. if you want more. mark your calendar, cnn will air "more than a game" some remarkable footage in there. of course get more of your "unguarded" fix, following me on twitter, facebook, and on the web, cnn.com/unguard. see you back here next friday night on unguarded where the end of the game is just the start of the story. good night.