It’s been over five years since LeBron James made his high-profile move to the Los Angeles Lakers, a decision that brought both a championship and, unsurprisingly, some controversy. While many Lakers fans have embraced the four-time MVP as one of their own, not everyone has been on board with the King’s Hollywood chapter.
One of those skeptics? Former boxing champion and proud Lakers supporter Terence Crawford.
In a recent conversation with Shannon Sharpe, Crawford didn’t hold back when asked about LeBron’s arrival in Los Angeles. “Why would I want LeBron on the Lakers when we was competing against LeBron?
I didn’t want LeBron on the Lakers,” Crawford said. It’s a sentiment that echoes a certain old-school Lakers mindset - one that still holds Kobe Bryant’s legacy as the gold standard and views LeBron’s tenure through a more critical lens.
Crawford’s stance isn’t necessarily about stats or accolades - it’s about identity. For fans like him, the Lakers weren’t supposed to welcome their longtime rival; they were supposed to beat him.
That mentality, forged in the heat of playoff battles and Finals showdowns, doesn’t fade easily. And while LeBron did bring a title to Los Angeles in 2020 - a championship that, yes, came in the unique environment of the NBA bubble - there’s still a segment of the fanbase that treats that banner with an asterisk.
To be fair, the 2020 title came under circumstances unlike any other in league history. The bubble was a mental and physical grind, and winning it required a different kind of resilience.
But for some fans, it lacks the traditional pageantry and playoff atmosphere they associate with Lakers greatness. That’s part of why debates like this still surface - and why Crawford’s comments hit a nerve.
Now, while Crawford may be holding firm in his stance, LeBron continues to do what he’s done for over two decades: compete at a high level, even as Father Time looms large. Just a few days ago, during a game against the Utah Jazz, James had a scary moment after a collision with rookie Walter Clayton Jr.
LeBron, who’s already missed time this season with a sciatica issue, appeared to tweak his knee. After the game, he reassured fans, saying, “I told Mike [Mancias], my trainer, I said, ‘We dodged a bullet there.’”
That sigh of relief rippled through Lakers Nation. At 40 years old, LeBron is no longer the explosive athlete who once jumped over defenders with ease - but he’s still one of the smartest and most effective players on the floor. And that’s saying something after 23 seasons in the NBA.
Whether or not fans like Crawford ever fully embrace LeBron’s Lakers tenure, the reality is this: he’s still here, still grinding, and still giving this team everything he has. That kind of longevity and dedication is rare - and even if it doesn’t look like the Kobe era, it deserves recognition in its own right.
So while the debate rages on about what it means to be a “real” Lakers fan, LeBron just keeps showing up. And in a league where availability and consistency are often undervalued, that’s something worth appreciating.