In the latest episode of the ‘Mind the Game’ podcast, Lakers superstar LeBron James reflected on his most recent championship run. In a chat with his co-host, Steve Nash, James explained how it felt to win it all that year and what actions he took in the aftermath of the historic Finals victory.
“We won it and we went back to the room and I started packing,” said James. “I went back to my room and started packing my sh*t. I started throwing stuff, like ‘I can’t wait to get the hell out of here!'”
Despite the passing of Kobe Bryant, nationwide social justice protests, and a global pandemic, the Lakers somehow maintained their focus that season to beat the Miami Heat in the Finals and complete their championship run. It was James’ fourth championship, but also the most different than the rest.
“They had the little after party downstairs at the outdoor place, and we all went there and celebrated with the family and had drinks and it was fun. You got an opportunity to finally see your family, and everybody was excited and happy. Sh*t, we had won a championship so I didn’t take that for granted. That was an amazing feat. But I was ready to get the hell out of there.”
The 2019-20 campaign was a weird time in the NBA. With the COVID-19 pandemic raging worldwide, the players were confined to a quarantine zone to finish out the season, and it became too easy to fall victim to the endless sea of distractions.
While conditions in the bubble weren’t horrible, it was far from the living standards that players are used to. They couldn’t travel, couldn’t be with their loved ones, and had limited ways to spend their downtime. Some teams and players grew so fed up with the ordeal that they essentially quit that season, like the Los Angeles Clippers, who collapsed in the playoffs as they coveted a trip back home.
The Lakers were one of the few teams that year who managed to thrive in the bubble, and James was leading the way with averages of 26.2 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 8.3 assists over 28 games. As hard as the circumstances were, LeBron refused to let his team lose their focus, and he pushed them to their limits until the very end.
After it was all said and done, LeBron won his fourth championship while the Lakers were celebrating their 17th. Sadly, the festivities were limited that year, and the Lakers never received the championship parade that is usually a tradition for NBA champions.
To this day, LeBron says it’s the hardest championship ever won and one of the defining moments of his NBA career. During unprecedented times in the NBA, the Lakers found success against all the odds and showed the world that they could still win at the highest level under unique playing conditions.
But once that initial feeling wore off, LeBron was ready to go back home and finally bring an end to his stint in the NBA bubble. It was a rough and challenging experience for James but he made the most of it, just like he does with everything in his career.
