What a LeBron James Roller Coaster Might Look Like

Amusement park pledged to rename roller coaster after basketball star

ByABC News
July 12, 2014, 12:57 PM

— -- The news that LeBron James would be returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers had plenty of fans in northern Ohio excited, including fans at beloved amusement park Cedar Point.

The day of the announcement, park officials tweeted out they would honor their pledge to rename a roller coaster after Ohio's favorite basketball player.

But now comes the question of which ride? Here's our look at the likely contenders.

PHOTO: The Millenium Force at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio.
The Millenium Force at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio.
  • Millennium Force

    Called a "giga-roller" coaster, this ride has a drop from 308 feet -- as high as a 30-story building -- and has enough twists and turns to make a rider sick during its two-minute duration.

    As with James's basketball skills, the height it reaches isn't the ride's only selling point. It also achieves speeds of 93 miles per hour and keeps riders on their toes with a steep 80-degree drop and plenty of quick turns.

  • Top Thrill Dragster
  • The ride might be short, but you're unlikely to forget the view. Reaching heights of 420 feet, the park's tallest ride could be compared to James' impressive vertical leap, as he soars for a spectacular dunk.

    And if the owners really want to rebrand the coaster, they could always add a giant cutout of the basketball hero as high as 42-story building.

    PHOTO: Top Thrill Dragster rollercoaster at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio.
    Top Thrill Dragster rollercoaster at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio.
  • Corkscrew

    Maybe the best comparison to James would be the park's spiraling corkscrew ride.

    Just as James played with the hearts of Cleveland fans over the last four years, this ride puts people through the twists and turns of a literal corkscrew during its two-minute duration, enough to make riders sick with excitement.

  • Raptor
  • One dark horse contender could be the park favorite Raptor roller coaster.

    Similar to how James' feet never seem to touch the ground when he dunks, this ride keeps your feet in the air, allowing you have the same gravity-defying experience as James, if only for a moment.

  • Woodstock Express
  • James has always been vocal about his work with the local Boys and Girls Club in the area, so maybe the best match is the kid-friendly Woodstock Express. The locomotive-like junior rollercoaster is located in the Camp Snoopy part of the park and reaches speeds of only 25 miles per hour.

    It might seem like a snooze for older kids, but James has two young sons under 10 and a baby girl on the way. He may be an impressive gravity-defying basketball star to us, but his kids can still drag him to the rides they want to ride.

    PHOTO: Woodstock Express rollercoaster at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio.
    Woodstock Express rollercoaster at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio.

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