“There’s LeBron James Haters, Then There Are Lakers Haters”: 3x NBA Champ Defends 2020 Bubble Championship

Danny Green has won 3 championships in his career, and he’s done it on three different franchises. His contributions to those rings have been invaluable as well, as his sharpshooting prowess coupled with his perimeter defense made him a very important role player on all those teams. His chip with the Lakers is subject to a lot of scrutiny around the league among analysts and fans, and he put an end to the discussion around the 2020 championship while on the Sloane Knows podcast.

Green was asked what he had to say to the haters claiming the bubble championship wasn’t real. After COVID struck the league, mandates were implemented to ensure that the virus wouldn’t affect the players too. After a while, the league re-opened but was behind locked doors at Disneyland in Orlando. A smaller number of teams were included in the ‘bubble’ and critics often claim that the ring doesn’t hold any value due to the reduced competition. Green said,

“The ring is real. I got the hardware to prove it … people either love or hate the Lakers, and people either love or hate LeBron. There’s LeBron haters, and there’s Lakers haters.”

Green claims that if any other team had won, people wouldn’t be dismissing it as a “Mickey Mouse ring,” and he’s absolutely right. As Green pointed out, there are other championships that teams have won under unusual circumstances, but all that matters is that you get that ring.

“A lot of teams have won because of injuries or because somebody wasn’t somewhere. They don’t put an asterisk, ‘Oh you won because of the lockout year.’ It doesn’t matter, you won. Somebody has to win, and we were fortunate enough to get that done, to be that team to be the last one standing.”

Green said that his first championship, which he won with the Spurs, was the most special. The second, which he won with the Raptors, was the most fun. And the third, which he won in the bubble with the Lakers, was the most difficult because of how mentally and emotionally tough it was.

Danny Green isn’t the only one who believes the bubble title was extremely challenging

LeBron James has repeatedly said over the years that the bubble was one of the most difficult things he’s done in his long and accomplished career. He even went on record with that before the Lakers played the Finals that year, so it’s not revisionist history.

“It’s probably been the most challenging thing I’ve ever done as far as a professional, as far as committing to something and actually making it through. But I knew when I was coming what we were coming here for. I would be lying if I sat up here and knew that everything inside the bubble, the toll that it would take on your mind and your body and everything else, because it’s been extremely tough. But I’m here for one reason and one reason only, and that’s to compete for a championship.”

Part of LeBron’s case to be considered the GOAT is that he’s won what he calls “the two hardest championships in NBA league history,” with the other being the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2016 win over the 73-9 Golden State Warriors as the other.

Danny Green was right that the LeBron haters will always find a reason to hate on King James, but whether they want to put an asterisk on it or not, there’s no denying that the bubble title was a unique achievement that any player would love to have on his resume.