Getty LeBron James and the Lakers look to repeat as NBA champs
LeBron James is one of the most dominant forces in NBA basketball.
A four-time NBA Champion James has won two NBA Championships alongside the Miami Heat Big 3 Era of Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. LBJ also won a ring with the Cleveland Cavaliers alongside teammates Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving.
James won his fourth title with the Los Angeles Lakers on a roster that included James, Anthony Davis, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, Rajon Rondo, Alex Caruso, Dwight Howard, Danny Green, J.R. Smith, JaVale McGee, Dion Waiters and Jared Dudley, the Lakers won their first NBA championship in ten years.
It was the franchise’s 17th title, tying the Boston Celtics for the most in league history.
Winners of the 2020 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, tonight the Lakers will receive their Championship rings at Staples Center before taking cross-hall rival, Los Angeles Clippers.
ESPN analyst, Kendrick Perkins, a former Cavaliers teammate of James appeared on the Heavy Live With Scoop B Show and discussed his relationship with King James.
Some believe that Perkins has a bias to James, others think he and James had some sort of beef. “You have to realize I’ve known LeBron since I was in the 7th grade,” Perkins told me on the Heavy Live With Scoop B Show.
BOSTON, MA – APRIL 26: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts with Kendrick Perkins #3 against Boston Celtics after the second quarter in Game Four during the first round of the 2015 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2015 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
“LeBron and I played on the same AAU Team when we were juniors and seniors called the Oakland Soldiers. That relationship was always there. Class of 2003 when were in the McDonald’s Game together, ABCD Camp together, right? We were everywhere. It wasn’t LeBron James without Kendrick Perkins being there while we were coming up in high school. If he had a tournament, I was there and you know, vice-versa. So you know, we got into battles in the Celtic days and the Oklahoma City days but, it was never any harsh words between LeBron and I about nothing too crazy — like, we used to battle it out but I’ma tell you something. When I got to Cleveland and I saw the MAN LeBron James, my respect level went through the roof for him because I didn’t know all the behind the scenes work, right? I didn’t know the 5 and the 8 in the morning before practices, get to practice, practice hard, work out with the guys after practice, probably go shoot a commercial; call back and say, “Yo Perk, we’re kicking it at my house watching the game. I’m on the way…” I go over there, he’s getting treatment around the clock… like, I didn’t see this LeBron James. I didn’t see — I was able to witness the man that he has become because, just know Scoop B I was the guy he was with that was in the same class as him while he was 16 years old and they labeled him ‘The Chosen One’. So I’m watching him deal with all this pressure. An iconic figure and the way that he moves and conducts himself as a family man, as a businessman and as a professional basketball player… I mean, it’s nothing that they can tell me about LeBron James.”