LeBron James is undoubtedly a modern-day GOAT for his consistency since his arrival in the NBA in 2003. The four-time NBA champ has achieved feats that few have even seemed to come close to. At 37, he is still one of the best players in the league and almost won the scoring title last year. However, his championship run last year was affected by the Lakers\’ troubles and his injury. Still, he managed to score at an average of 30.3 PPG and surpassed Karl Malone to become the second highest scorer in NBA history behind Kareem Abdul Jabbar. The 18-time All-Star has also signed a two-year extension with the Lakers, making him the highest-paid player ever in NBA.
Only a few other players possess the skills and determination that James has shown over the past 19 seasons. One such player is the Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek star made his NBA debut in 2013 with the Bucks and led the team to their first-ever championship last year since 1971. The six-time All-Star almost bagged his second straight championship last year. However, the Celtics defeated the Bucks over seven games due to Khris Middleton\’s injury.
The Lakers head coach Darvin Ham has seen Giannis evolve very closely as he was the assistant coach for Milwaukee from 2018-22. Now. Ham will start his first season with the Lakers alongside LeBron James. The Lakers head was asked to compare LeBron James and Giannis Antentokounmpo in a recent interview. In that, Darvin stated that there is no major difference between the two great players in the NBA. Ham said, \” They\’re both hungry, they\’re both great, and they\’re both generational-type players.\”
Lakers Coach Calls LeBron James Extension Huge
James has recently signed a two-year, $97.1m contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers new head coach stated that James is a one-in-a-lifetime player. As per Ham, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Dr. J, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, Shaquille O\’Neal, and Kobe Bryant are the few greatest players in the league. The 49-year-old claimed that LeBron James is right up on the list with these greats. Thus, Ham called his extension deals a \’HUGE.\’ He added, \”The things that we are facing coming out of high school and things he had to endure and conquer. He passed all tests with flying colors.\”
The Darvin-LeBron partnership would be elemental for the Lakers next season. LA has been struck with Russell Westbrook, making it hard for them to make any critical roster changes. Hence, the duo will have to work together with Anthony Davis and others to lead the Lakers to a championship next season.