LeBron James privately questioned whether Lakers fans would completely embrace him

LeBron James has had some memorable moments throughout his six seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, but the future Hall of Famer wasn’t always confident that L.A. fans would accept him when he first signed with the organisation.

imageAccording to ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Dave McMenamin, James “privately questioned whether Laker Nation would ever fully embrace him” due to previous matchups with Kobe Bryant earlier in his career.

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 25: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers greets fans after the game against the San Antonio Spurs on January 25, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

When James decided to join the Lakers in the summer of 2018, there were various reports that Bryant’s fans were not ready to welcome him.

Bryant even addressed the topic in August 2018 on The Rich Eisen Show (h/t Anthony Irwin of Silver Screen and Roll):

NBA tells teams to plan for empty arenas; LeBron says no way | NBA.com

“… If you’re a fan of mine, then you’re a fan of winning; you’re a fan of the Lakers. I bleed purple and gold, so that’s above anything else. I’ve been a Laker fan since I was yay high. That’s never going to change, right. And it’s about winning championships, so they’ll (those fans will) fall in line.”

There was never a true rivalry between James and Bryant because they never met in the NBA Finals. Nike attempted to create a rivalry in 2009 by airing a series of commercials showing the two superstars as puppets.

Lakers News: Teen with cancer granted wish to meet LeBron on Christmas -  Silver Screen and Roll

Things did not work out since James and the Cleveland Cavaliers were defeated in the Eastern Conference Finals. Bryant led the Lakers to a championship in the NBA Finals, defeating the Orlando Magic.

NBA Rumors: LeBron James Privately Questioned If Lakers Fans Would Fully  Embrace Him | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors | Bleacher Report James has been able to establish his own legacy in Los Angeles. He led the franchise to a championship in the 2019-20 season. On February 7, 2023, he passed Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

Lakers Community on X: "Congratulations to @KingJames for becoming the  first NBA Player to score 40,000 Career Points  Thank you for  continuing to inspire aspiring athletes, the Los Angeles community, and

On Saturday night, against the Denver Nuggets, James became the first NBA player to reach 40,000 points in his career.

Darvin Ham says LeBron James' defense “gives everyone confidence' - Silver  Screen and Roll

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