These used to be the moments that would suffocate LeBron James. End of a game, the world watching, everyone expecting greatness. A TV camera would catch James sitting on the bench, gnawing on his fingernails during a timeout. He'd take the court, and the ball – and the game – would find their way into his large hands. Too often, he'd give them both to a teammate. The pressure, the responsibility to live up to his enormous talent, was too much for him to shoulder.

No longer is James haunted by his demons. He embraces these moments now, and as the final seconds ticked off the clock late Thursday, James was finally free of the burden he had carried for so long. Finally, the world could call him a champion.

James had walked off the court a few minutes earlier, the Miami Heat's 121-106 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder long since secure. He dominated these NBA Finals, and he saved his best for last with a 26-point, 13-assist, 11-rebound triple-double performance. James hugged his teammates and coaches, screamed and waved his arms. No more doubts. He owned his elusive title.