The Los Angeles Lakers have taken home the ultimate prize in an unprecedented 2019-20 season, winning the franchise’s 17th NBA championship.
Led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, L.A. proved themselves to be on another level from the rest of the league, losing just five total games in the Playoffs.
With this ring, James adds even more ammunition towards not only a sure-fire Hall of Fame career, but perhaps becoming the greatest player of all-time. It’s been one of his major goals since entering the league in 2003, and James continues to show why he very well could be.
After winning a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers, James famously said he had nothing left to prove. However, he has since backtracked on that. “I think personally thinking I have something to prove fuels me,” James said.
“It fueled me over this last year and a half since the injury. It fueled me because no matter what I’ve done in my career to this point, there’s still little rumblings of doubt or comparing me to the history of the game and ‘Has he done this, has he done that.’
“So having that in my head, having that in my mind, saying to myself, why not still have something to prove, I think it fuels me.”
Much like we saw with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, it can be challenging to find motivation to be great when everyone already believes that they’re at the top. Players like James, Jordan and Bryant have to find that fuel from within in order to continue pushing forward each year.
James certainly found it this season, as he was absolutely remarkable throughout, earning second place in MVP voting, winning the Finals MVP Award, and being the perfect leader for the Lakers on and off the court.
James calls bubble championship one of his hardest feats
While James was incredible all season long, he took it up a notch in the Walt Disney World bubble. After winning the championship on Sunday night, he again spoke about the challenges of winning it all in these circumstances.
“I can just say that I’ve never won with this atmosphere. None of us have. We’ve never been a part of this,” James said. “If you’ve been here throughout the start — I mean, we got here July 9. Our ballclub got here July 9. It’s October what — I don’t even know. October 11 now.
“So this was very challenging and difficult. It played with your mind. It played with your body. You’re away from some of the things that you’re so accustomed to to make you be the professional that you are. So this is right up there.”
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