When LeBron James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in July 2018, some doubted his motives. They felt that James came to L.A. more for off-court business and pleasure than for basketball.
But in a recent interview with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the three-time NBA champ affirmed how pleased he is to be wearing the Purple and Gold.
“I am a Laker,” James said with a smile. “I am definitely a Laker. I feel it. I’m happy as hell to be one.”
Although James did extremely well statistically last year, it was a very disappointing season for him. He suffered the first significant injury of his career, and afterward he was criticized by the media and even his teammates for poor leadership and body language.
It all ended with the Lakers missing the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.
Fast forward several months later, and the Lakers are now tied with the Milwaukee Bucks for the NBA’s best record this season at 21-3.
James has played as big a role in that as anyone, as he’s averaging 25.9 points a game while leading the league in assists at 10.8 per game.
The Lakers aren’t just winning with defense, they’re also wearing down teams with one of the best fast breaks in basketball. James deserves most of the credit for that. He’s handling the ball and pushing the pace as much as he ever has, a sign that his passion is still alive and well.
