LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are having a real moment right now. Winning 16 of their last 19 games, they’re the hottest team in the NBA. And with Luka Doncic on board as the superstar who will carry them into the next generation, let’s just say it’s a good time to be a Lakers fan. But it hasn’t always been a smooth ride for LeBron.
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Despite his status as one of the greatest players of all time, the King has faced some resistance from the fanbase since joining the team in 2018. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, as they say.
It’s not unusual for a team’s fans to defend their hometown superstar at all costs. But the dynamic Kobe Bryant and the Lakers fandom has is different. Kobe is so beloved by Lakers Nation that even when LeBron signed with L.A., he was treated as an outsider unworthy of inheriting what Kobe had built.
LeBron has done everything he can to earn the respect of the fans since then. And he’s mostly succeeded, even if he’ll never be as beloved by Lakers fans as Kobe. LeBron helped deliver the franchise’s 17th title in 2020, and he’s since broken the all-time scoring record set by another Laker great, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Before LeBron took his talents to L.A., Kobe had tweeted his support for the future Laker. This came when James led the Cavaliers to the Eastern Conference title after a gruelling seven-game series during the 2017-18 playoffs. However, many belittled the achievement, citing that the conference was not as competitive.
Kobe stood by James, stating, “We can enjoy one without tearing down one. I love what he’s doing. Don’t debate what can’t be definitely won by anyone.”
We can enjoy one without tearing down one. I love what he’s doing. Don’t debate what can’t be definitively won by anyone #enjoymy5 #enjoymj6 #enjoylbjquest
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) May 28, 2018
Just over two months later, LeBron signed with the Lakers.
Bryant supported LeBron before and after he signed with the Lakers
LeBron may have faced an uphill battle to win the hearts and minds of Lakers fans. But he faced no such difficulty with Kobe, who welcomed him with open arms once LBJ decided to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers a second time and come to L.A.
Kobe was retired for two years at that point. His offer of support to the heir apparent (and former classic Nike commercial rival) as the face of the Lakers kept alive the tradition that Kobe said was accorded to him when he arrived. Kobe was extended a warm welcome by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The Lakers are a family business, and that goes beyond just being owned by the Buss family. So many all-time greats have donned the purple and gold that it is like a brotherhood that spans generations. LeBron was the newest member at the time, and now Doncic is set to inherit that mantle.
Kobe is known as one of the most competitive players of all time, but the respect he showed, especially in the later years, for his contemporaries and the legends stood out. Becoming a ‘true Laker’ in the eyes of the fans has taken time for LeBron, but it all began with Kobe’s support.
