According to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, Los Angeles Lakers icon LeBron James isn’t fixated on matching the NBA championship tally of legends Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan throughout his career.
Lowe revealed, “Anyone who thinks LeBron is sitting there chasing that ghost every night ruminating on, ‘Kobe has got five, Michael’s got six, I’ve got four,’… That’s not apparently LeBron’s mindset. That’s what I’ve heard privately for a long time.”
Presently, James boasts an impressive four NBA titles and has made 10 appearances in the NBA Finals, surpassing the total finals appearances of both Jordan and Bryant. Despite this, Bryant secured five NBA championships during his tenure with the Lakers, while Jordan clinched six, including two remarkable three-peats with the Chicago Bulls.
As a 20-time All-Star, James has also achieved milestones that eluded Bryant and Jordan, such as becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record during the 2022-23 season.
While there remains an opportunity for James to equal both players in terms of NBA titles, Lowe suggests that James isn’t singularly fixated on this goal.
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Although the Lakers came close to reaching the NBA Finals in the 2022-23 season, falling short against the Denver Nuggets, another championship victory with the Lakers would mark James’ second with the franchise. Notably, James differs from Bryant and Jordan, who secured all their titles with a single franchise, by leading three different teams – the Miami Heat (twice), Cleveland Cavaliers (once), and Lakers (once) – to championship glory.
Furthermore, James boasts a remarkable eight-season streak of making the NBA Finals, a feat unmatched by Jordan and Bryant throughout their careers.
Adding another title to his illustrious resume would undoubtedly enhance James’ legacy as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. At 39 years old, James continues to perform at a remarkably high level during the 2023-24 season, maintaining averages of 24.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game.
Currently, the Lakers occupy the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference standings at the All-Star break. However, with James’ leadership, the team has displayed resilience, winning three consecutive games and seven of their last ten matchups.
As the season progresses, fans eagerly anticipate whether James can guide the Lakers back to championship contention and secure another title in his illustrious career.
