MIAMI >> In an interview to air Friday on CNN, LeBron James acknowledged that with three more victories in June he likely would have remained with the Miami Heat instead of signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers in July as a free agent.

In the interview with Rachel Nichols for the network’s Unguarded program that airs Fridays at 10:30 p.m. EDT, James said a third consecutive Heat championship likely would have preempted his eventual return to Cleveland. The Heat instead lost 4-1 in the NBA Finals to the San Antonio Spurs.

"It’s a greater chance, for sure," he said. "I mean, it would be hard to leave back-to-back-to-back championships and try to go for four. But, obviously, you really can’t live and think of what may have happened. For me, I’ve always been a person [to] kind of live in the moment."

He said seeking his third championship after switching teams will present new challenges.

"I understand what it takes to get there," he said of his four-year Heat tenure, which included four trips to the NBA Finals and championships in 2012 and ’13. "I understand what it takes to win. It’s so difficult. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life."