On FS1’s Undisputed, with Skip Bayless, a disappointed Richard Sherman was glad the Los Angeles Lakers lost their Monday night tussle against the New York Knicks. He seemed dissatisfied with the organization opting to raise an In-Season Tournament winner banner before the game. The former Seattle Seahawks cornerback cited Kobe Bryant’s example and claimed that the raising of the banner insults the philosophy of Black Mamba.
Advertisement
As a Lakers diehard, a hurt Sherman expressed that it is rare that he is happy when his favorite team loses, “I hope that was a signal that you shouldn’t have [raised the banner]. The great Kobe Bean Bryant is rolling over in his grave as we raised this banner for an In-Season tournament.
Furthermore, Sherman disapproved of the ceremony where the banner was raised before the Knicks tilt and then explained why this irks him,
“He specifically said on camera, multiple times, this franchise, which is the only franchise he ever played for, only raises championship banners.”
He then hilariously imagined that if the Black Mamba was in the Lakers facility right now, he’d be tearing down that banner. The true value of the In-Season tournament championship has been a matter of debate. For many, winning the first-ever In-season tourney calls for a huge celebration.
Therefore, the banner ceremony is justified. The viewership numbers increased during the tournament which means that there was a huge anticipation for the winner. Of course, with LeBron James winning it in his 21st season, the storyline became riper.
Obviously, given the Lakers have won the title 17 times, some even with the greats like Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal playing together, they have a legendary legacy. On the other hand, raising a flag is a rather proud moment, and doing it for something like an In-Season tournament probably dilutes the franchise’s principals who “only raise championship banners”.
Charles Barkley is not a fan of the In-Season Tournament banner
The opposition to this move has also been stiff because of how certain NBA legends perceive the situation. The NBA Playoffs championship remains the sole biggest prize in their minds because of both tradition and the cumulative grind. Apart from that for the critics, the value of a franchise also matters.
Therefore, it is not surprising that Charles Barkley also discouraged the Lakers from lifting the banner. Like Sherman, his criticism stems from the historical achievements of the Lakers.
As per Chuck, if the Pacers won the tournament and had a parade after winning it, he’d have joined it. Meanwhile, the Lakers have set loftier standards. “There’s two teams in the NBA that are championship or bust attitude. The Lakers and the Celtics are gold standards”, expressed Barkley.
Meanwhile, the Chuckster’s fiercest debate opponent adhered to an opposite notion. Shaq believes that they deserve to hang the banner considering it was the first time someone won the title. On The Rich Eisen show, The Big Aristotle also left a riddle when discussing the matter.
He queried that if an athlete ends up winning three In-Season tournaments in a row and has a great personal career, will that make him a Hall-of-Famer? He also asked, “If the Lakers win the inaugural championship and don’t win the big Championship, does LeBron still have five rings?”
Considering that the Lakers legend himself considers lifting the In-Season Tournament banner as an understandable move, the debate sways in the Lakers’ favor. However, now, the focus is going to shift to the ultimate prize; the NBA championship.
