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GREATNESS!

Greatness as a Laker as a mountain while greatness as a Clipper is merely a hill. LeBron and AD will have to win 4 more championships to beat Magic and Kareem as the greatest Lakers duo whereas Kawhi and PG only have to avoid choking to be the greatest Clippers duo. pic.twitter.com/AMpCtuDb5t

— LakerTom (@LakerTom) December 11, 2020

"What needs to be truly understood is how impossible it is even to imagine anyone could be more 'more than an athlete' than James is in our world today."

Senior Writer @KevinDing: https://t.co/UzwRSrGaSh

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) December 11, 2020

Think about how much this list of names has done beyond playing basketball: James, Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, James Worthy, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West.

That’s the exclusive list, newly updated with James, of Lakers players to be NBA Finals MVP.

They want to make things happen. They need to leave that legacy. They insist on being true to that dreamer within.

How did Bryant win a freakin’ Academy Award? Because he tapped into that little boy inside him and shared his voice. How did Johnson become an entrepreneurial sensation? Because he remembered how it felt when a youthful Earvin would slip into the executive chairs of his neighborhood business leaders and visualize life from that perch.

The mutual respect between Johnson, Bryant and James became more evident in recent years. And now James’ Lakers championship is in some ways his most impressive championship. Everyone can understand leaving home to conquer the world, as James did with Miami. Everyone can understand coming home to your people, as James did with Cleveland.

James came aboard, and the result was in some ways his most impressive championship. Everyone can understand leaving home to conquer the world, as James did with Miami. Everyone can understand coming home to your people, as James did with Cleveland.

James still yearned for more, going west to live up to the Lakers’ brand that he’d always put on a pedestal. The transition was a struggle in various ways, even as basic as adapting to the Pacific time zone for the first time in his life. As he is determined to do, James did adapt.

He lives for the challenges.

That’s the real irony for his eager critics. The fodder is just more fuel.

…

Find inspiration in the pregame chalk toss, revived with the Lakers this season after about a four-year layoff. Admire how his work ethic with the lovely deep three enhances his ability to keep truckin’ to the rack, as always, with lunchpail and hard hat. Enjoy the ride through iconic Warner Bros. motion-picture worlds when LeBron and Bugs Bunny release their movie next year.

Understand how absolutely no one else could have said the words that this community needed to hear before the Lakers’ first game upon Bryant’s death.

The memorial service that put together later was a wonderful tribute. James’ speech came almost a month earlier, when the wound was still so raw. Standing on the Lakers’ logo at center court of Staples Center in those white Nike Kobe 1 Protro sneakers from Bryant’s 81-point game, James’ free-flow speech was the hug we needed from someone who really understood him. It was so true and tight that we practically could feel James’ heartbeat through the No. 24 jersey covering his chest.

It remains hard to believe that James passed Bryant on the all-time scoring list the very night before Bryant’s death. James gushed about Bryant for nearly five continuous minutes late that night in Philadelphia. He actually used the word “immortal” to describe Bryant.

The last post from Bryant’s Twitter account remains his last now: “Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames. Much respect my brother.”

For as neatly and effectively as James was able to check off boxes on his lengthy to-do list, this season was the ultimate experience to remind him and us all: Stuff happens.

It always does. And the stuff brings unforeseen challenges to go with the known ones we already have to steel ourselves to tackle.

Sometimes those challenges are too much for us. That’s one reason some resent James when he is so often able to meet his challenges.

It’s also why others so appreciate having James around.

He reminds us what’s possible.

We need that.

PG guarantees he’s going to be elite again 😤

(via All The Smoke) pic.twitter.com/lJnzVFiL2w

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 10, 2020

"I owe them a trophy."

After signing a $226 million extension, Paul George says he owes the Clippers the ultimate prize 🏆@Farbod_E with more: https://t.co/0vZpwMuKs3

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) December 11, 2020

"They're keeping me and Bron in the loop about every single decision…" @AntDavis23 spoke about his relationship with the #Lakers front office when it comes to roster decisions and daily practice agendas. pic.twitter.com/lOHQRjSiZI

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) December 10, 2020