After three seasons with the Miami Heat, veteran NBA point guard Gabe Vincent has experienced first-hand what life is like as a Laker. In the meantime, he’s also witnessing the wide-reaching impact of LeBron James up close and personal. In a recent chat with the media, Vincent shed some light on his recent revelations and explained why his current situation is unlike anything he experienced in Miami.
“It’s very different,” Vincent said, via South Florida Sun Sentinel. “No matter where you’re at, the Lakers, that name carries a lot of weight. And then the LeBron effect, you can’t talk about that team without talking about him in that way. It’s a lot of attention. It’s a lot of eyes. I wouldn’t say better or worse, it’s different.”
As 17x NBA champions, the Lakers have a rich history of greatness that stretches back to the dawn of the NBA. Even now, years after the glory days, Lakers fans expect nothing but the best from the team and it’s why they are held to a higher standard than every other franchise in the league. When you add LeBron James to the mix, who is arguably the greatest player of all time, one can only imagine how intense the spotlight can get.
Failure Is Not An Option
Unlike many teams in the league, the Lakers cannot be content with mediocrity. For every player who wants a spot in the rotation, maximum effort and complete buy-in is necessary. As we’ve seen over the years with players like Russell Westbrook and Dwight Howard in 2013, the scene isn’t for everyone and the pressure involved in performing every day can be too much for some to handle.
For those that do push through the noise, however, it can be richly rewarding. For LeBron James, who was built for this environment, he has thrived in a place where winning is the top priority. So far this season, the Lakers are 5th in the West with a 3-2 record. While it’s still too early to panic, this type of mediocrity will not fly for Lakers fans and the team is on a short leash to assert their dominance in the Western Conference.
The LeBron James Effect Is Real
After 20 seasons in the NBA, it can be easy to underestimate how much LeBron can influence a team. As a 19x All-Star, 4x champion, 4x MVP, and 19x All-NBA player, LeBron’s status as one of the greatest players ever is proof that he’s an unmatched difference-maker. For the Lakers, just having him on the team will draw millions of extra eyes towards their games and the pressure to compete every season will be unrelenting.
The truth is, even now, everyone expects LeBron to win and he clearly expects that as well considering his minutes load in the first four games so far. It remains to be seen how far James can take the Lakers this season, but it’s a good sign that the newcomer recognizes the importance of the mission at hand. As a Laker and a teammate of LeBron, every player on the roster this year should be in it to win it.
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