Stars including Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z paid tribute to LeBron James after his Cleveland Cavaliers team secured America's National Basketball Association (NBA) championship.
LeBron's hometown franchise, who had never won U.S. basketball's highest honour before, secured the championship by beating the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, California on Sunday.
Cleveland's 93 to 89 point victory in the final game of the NBA finals series saw them edge out Golden State by a margin of four games to three.
After the game ended with the Cavaliers as champions, the basketball legend, 31, was overcome with tears. LeBron, who grew up in Akron, Ohio, with which Cleveland shares a metropolitan area, spent seven years with the Cavaliers from 2003 to 2010, the year he controversially left for the Miami Heat without delivering the city's first NBA championship.
He returned to play for the Cavaliers four years later, after winning two championships in Miami.
In the wake of the epic win, in which LeBron was his team's top scorer, a number of stars took to social media to congratulate him and his team.
"Wow. One of the best finals ever," hip hop superstar Jay Z wrote on Twitter. "So proud of King James. Salute Warriors Happy Father's Day to all," while Justin Timberlake added, "Lebron did it. Everybody be quiet. Goodnight."
Meanwhile, model and TV star Tyra Banks expressed delight at the sportsman's emotional reaction to winning, writing, "Nothing is more beautiful than a man overcome with emotion and tears @KingJames. #ARealMan."
Before the game Cleveland native Drew Carey revealed to his Twitter followers that he had placed a bet of $5,000 (£3,415) on the Cavaliers and LeBron to win by posting a picture of his betting slip, a wager which saw him collect $13,000 (£8,880) in winnings.
After the result, the veteran funnyman added, "CHAMPIONS!!!! From CLEVELAND!!! #CAVS Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!"
Other stars who paid tribute to the basketball star and his team's win included actress and filmmaker Elizabeth Banks, rapper Lil Wayne and comedienne Mindy Kaling, who quoted LeBron's words after the win by writing, ""I don't know why the man above makes me take the hardest road." @kingjames, making me cry. Congrats #Cleveland."
