LeBron responds to Gilbert's scathing letter

Former Cavs star LeBron James criticized team owner Dan Gilbert's emotional letter to fans in an interview with Rachel Nichols airing on ESPN's ''Sunday Conversation.''

Portions of the interview were shown during the network's Sunday morning ''SportsCenter.'' James announced Thursday night during a one-hour ESPN special that he was jumping to the Miami Heat after seven years in Cleveland.

''I think it's unfortunate that he did that,'' James said of Gilbert's response. ''I understand that the fans are hurt and I wish it could have been a different way. But Dan and whoever his partners are have to look themselves in the mirror and understand what he may have done may have cost them in the long run.''

When Nichols commented that Gilbert's language was extremely strong, James said, ''I've heard worse. I've been in a single-parent household, I've heard worse.''

Asked if he called the Cavs personally on Thursday, James said, ''I didn't talk to anyone personally because ... I got to a point the last day, I heard so much throughout the whole process. The last day I wanted to be about me. I didn't want to talk to anybody. So when I went to that interview I was comfortable with myself and I wasn't hearing other people's voices going on in my decision. I didn't talk to anybody.''