At 41 years old, LeBron James continues to defy all historical precedent. Even in his 23rd season, he remains one of the Lakers‘ most consistent players, and some experts feel he isn’t getting appreciated enough. According to one scout, Lakers fans are still not giving LeBron his proper due because of their loyalty to the late Kobe Bryant.
“I thought he was done after the Suns and Raptors games,” the NBA scout told Lakers Daily. “He looked so bad on both ends of the floor. I was like, ‘Yeah, Father Time finally got LeBron. It’s about time.’ And then ever since that Raptors game, he has looked unbelievable. He looks like a top-10 player in the league again. It’s incredible. We will never see a player be this good for so long ever again. It’s too bad he’s on the Lakers because those fans will never truly appreciate the greatness they are seeing because they are loyal to Kobe [Bryant], which is stupid because Kobe loved LeBron. But yeah, I was totally wrong about LeBron being washed. I can’t believe what I’m watching.”
LeBron’s arrival in Los Angeles back in 2018 was highly contested. After 20 years with the Lakers, Kobe Bryant had established a cult-like following in the city, and many of his fans saw the James signing as a threat to Bryant’s legacy. To this day, many fans still hold a grudge against James for daring to take up Kobe’s mantle and don the Lakers jersey after so many years of going against them.
Of course, Bryant himself actually had great respect for James, and the two formed a notable relationship as they got older. He embraced James becoming a Laker and offered his support during the transition. When Bryant passed away in 2020, LeBron was noticeably shaken up as he committed to carrying on his legacy.
Today, James has been a Laker for almost as long as he’s been a Cavalier. He’s on year eight and counting, with plenty of milestones left to achieve. Even if he never ends up winning another title in Los Angeles, the fans should still learn not take his game for granted. With averages of 22.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game on 51.3% shooting from the field (31.1% from three), he’s doing things at 41 that we’ve never seen before, and we may never see again.
So while Kobe Bryant’s legacy will never fade in Los Angeles, LeBron James deserves his place among the franchise’s greatest legends. Even if you don’t count the championship, what he’s done as a Laker is incredible, and it would have been enough to make even Kobe Bryant proud.
