It feels like just yesterday that LeBron James announced that he had agreed a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. But going into the 2023-24 season, it’s already been five years since the King arrived in LA.
LeBron James has won a championship and a Finals MVP with the franchise, but it’s not been a constant success as some might have expected. In any case, fans had a lot to say about it being the 5th anniversary of James joining the team.
The Los Angeles Lakers had been unable to find much success after Kobe Bryant’s injuries took a toll on him in the early 2010s. The team had missed the playoffs for five seasons before LeBron’s arrival but were champions within two years of him being there.
Many suggested at the time that LeBron was only joining the Lakers for opportunities in Hollywood and things of that nature. But he proved people wrong pretty quickly. One fan reminded everyone of that narrative.
LeBron James is entering his 21st season in the league, having completed 20. While he is still going strong, the time he retires is coming ever closer. And another fan pointed that out.
The Los Angeles Lakers are among the most successful franchises in NBA history, only the Boston Celtics can compete in terms of success. And since the 1980s, no team even comes close to how much the Lakers have won. So the bar is high, but as one fan pointed out, LeBron joining was still one of the greatest days for the fans.
LeBron James Has Achieved A Lot With The Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James may have missed the playoffs during a couple of seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, but he has still achieved a lot with the team. He has led them to a championship, won Finals MVP, been an All-Star all five years, made the All-NBA Third Team thrice, the All-NBA Second Team once, and the All-NBA First Team once. What’s more, James has broken the NBA’s all-time scoring record in a Lakers jersey as well.
LeBron has averaged 27.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.0 assists during these five years. The King will play at least one more season with the Purple and Gold and the roster seems primed to make another deep playoff push. If he can lead them to another championship and win his fifth, his case for being considered one of the greatest Lakers to ever put on the jersey will only get stronger.
