“Those Two Things Alone Should Have Him a Statue”: LeBron James’ Former Teammate Has Another Suggestion for the Lakers Following Kobe Bryant-Gigi Decision

The Los Angeles Lakers have served as a home to some of the greatest players to ever grace the NBA. From the Minneapolis Auditorium to the Crypto.com Arena, the Lakers’ arenas witnessed legacy unlike any other. One such player in the prestigious franchise’s ranks that defined an entire generation of basketball was the late Kobe Bryant. To honor his legacy, the Lakers decided to install a statue of the Black Mamba. However, LeBron James‘ former teammate has another suggestion.

Although joining the Lakers towards the later stages of his career, LeBron James has established himself as one of the greatest to ever suit up for the franchise. In just 5 years with the franchise so far, James has emulated his glorious winning ways. However, his future with the franchise may be uncertain. This has majorly affected his credibility for a statue outside the Crypto.com Arena. But his former teammate recently weighed in on this matter.

LeBron James’ teammate bats for his statue

Resurrecting statues of the players is the utmost respect a franchise can give a player. The practice of installing a statue is age-old in the NBA. However, after the loss of the legendary Laker, Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gigi Bryant in 2020, it only became more meaningful to resurrect a statue in honor of the Black Mamba. Interestingly, LeBron James’ former teammate, Kendrick Perkins had another suggestion for the prestigious franchise.

In a recent segment on ESPN’s NBA Today, the analysts discussed if The King deserves a statue outside the Crypto.com Arena. While seemed to be in disagreement, Perkins endorsed the idea fully.

“Look what he did done, he helped them deliver a championship banner number 17 to tie with their rivalry…..with the Celtics okay, and then he passed up and broke Kareem record, the all-time leading scorer in NBA history in a Laker uniform,” said the former NBA champion. “Those two things alone should have him a statue outside the Crypto.com.”

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Kendrick Perkins had his say about James’ worthiness of a statue outside the prestigious Lakers’ arena, but has The Akron Hammer earned himself the right to be immortalized by the Lakers?

The King has a strong claim to the statue

LeBron James made a shocking revelation in 2018 when he decided to join the Los Angeles Lakers. Given his history of rivalry with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, this move came as quite a surprise for one and all. However, his stint with the franchise did not disappoint.

The Chosen One brought his winning ways to the franchise, delivering success right away. After missing his first season with the Lakers due to injury, James bounced back in extraordinary fashion. He delivered them their 17th championship, also bagging the Finals MVP in the process. He also led them to another spectacular playoff run in 2023 where they stormed into the Western Conference Finals after starting the regular season 2-10.

Bron’s most historic achievement as a Laker however came early this year when he surpassed The Captain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the all-time leading scorer in the NBA. This moment cemented his place among Lakers legends single-handedly.

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Entering his 21st season in the NBA, one cannot imagine what James will accomplish in the years to come. However, with what he has done so far in the Lakers uniform, he has made a strong case to be immortalized by the Lakers by resurrecting his statue outside the Crypto.com Arena.