LeBron James has won four NBA Championships in his career, but he still faces flak for his methods.
When LeBron James entered the NBA in 2003, he was already getting compared to none other than NBA legend Michael Jordan.
Yes, the same MJ, who is viewed as the greatest basketball player of all time. Evidently, the quickest way for James to silence the critics would have been to win multiple NBA Championships.
By 2015, James had already won two rings with the Miami Heat, but he was still criticized by fans for teaming up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
Kobe Bryant clapped back at LeBron James’ critics in 2015
When James joined the Heat, he essentially became a villain for the entire NBA community as fans believed that he disrupted the balance in the league.
By 2015, James had returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but fans continued to downplay the King’s two championships with the Heat.
That’s when the late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant stepped up and defended the 4x NBA MVP on X.
“LBJ doesn’t need to prove that. I had Shaq [O’Neal] + Pau [Gasol]. MJ had Pip [Scottie Pippen] Magic [Johnson] had [James] Worthy + Kareem, [Abdul-Jabbar], etc, AND we all had great teammates,” Kobe wrote.
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Bryant essentially pointed out that winning championships isn’t an individual feat. Instead, every great player requires solid support to win multiple titles.
LeBron James has added two more NBA Championships to his resume since 2015
When Bryant clapped back at the criticism, James had won two titles in five tries. However, since then, the King has only added more achievements to his resume, including titles.
He led the Cavaliers to the 2016 NBA Championship by overcoming a 3-1 deficit against a much better Golden State Warriors team.
Additionally, LBJ also helped the Lakers win the 2020 NBA Championship, the team’s first ring since 2010. He also broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record, among other achievements.
All things considered, it’s about time fans stop criticizing the 40-year-old star and praise him for his achievements. After all, James is getting close to his retirement with each passing season.
