LeBron James‘ Los Angeles Lakers have had a tough season so far as they struggle to find winning combinations with their limited roster options. The Lakers are among the bottom teams in the Western Conference points table with a record of 17-21. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis’s injury has become a major concern for the Lakers. Amid all these worries, former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy recently made a strong statement about Davis that didn’t impress fans that much. The Lakers fans especially didn’t take the statement lightly as they took to Twitter to express their defiance.

Jeff Van Gundy coached the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets during his tenure as a head coach in the NBA. Notably, he lead the Knicks to the 1999 NBA finals but eventually lost to the San Antonio Spurs. He currently breaks down games for ESPN as a broadcaster and a sports analyst. However, the former NBA coach made it to the news after his bold statement on Anthony Davis

Veteran coach undermines Lakers’ Anthony Davis’ legacy

Recently, the former coach Jeff Van Gundy refused to accept Anthony Davis as a Hall of Fame contender. He made this bold remark on ESPN live during the Lakers’ Wednesday night game against the Miami Heat. Co-analyst Mark Jackson had said that he considered Davis as a Hall of Fame contender, but Van Gundy quickly objected to it. He said, “Are you sure? right now? if he ended today, he’d be a Hall of Famer?”

Meanwhile, Jackson clarified his point that he believes AD has had a Hall-of-Fame career and asked Van Gundy if he would agree with him. Van Gundy replied, “I am not sure because of the injuries. He just not been unavailable?[available]?so often, I think, it’s hard to say.”?

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However, NBA Twitter didn’t receive the statement well as fans flooded in with reactions on social media. One user said, “Why are we still listening to Jeff Van Gundy.” Another user said, “He was a top 5 player from 2015-2020.”

Meanwhile, many enlisted different accolades that would confirm Davis’ claim to the Hall-of-Fame. Following are some reactions from NBA Twitter.

https://twitter.com/I0nEvenKn0/status/1611151836458946561?s=20&t=XfL73oPv4ZZOSPFUFdKYwg

Most fans defended the Lakers star with their opinions

Jeff Gundy’s bold take on LeBron James in 2020

This isn’t the first time that Van Gundy has slammed a Lakers star. In fact, he had recently taken a dig at LeBron James. During the Christmas day game, when the ESPN analysts were throwing praises at James’ performance, Van Gundy decided to turn up the heat. He stated, ?The numbers are going to be there. But when you get to that level, it?s about how much can you drive winning. The Lakers have not been good the last couple of years. It may not be his fault. But it is his responsibility. That?s how you?re judged.?

However, the Lakers emerged victorious in the game against the Heat. Dennis Schroder pitched in 32 points to take the Lakers to a? (112-109) victory. The Lakers are currently in the 12th position of the Western Conference points table with a (17-21) record.

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On previous occasions as well, Van Gundy had questioned James’ move to the Lakers and had even proclaimed in 2019 and 2020 that the Lakers should consider trading James. Therefore, fans’ reactions against Van Gundy’s take seemed to be a response to his reputation as well

Is Jeff Van Gundy fair with his statement? Will Anthony Davis bounce back for the Lakers? Let us know in the comments.