A new era has dawned for the most successful NBA franchise of all-time. Here’s why Los Angeles Lakers fans are eager for the season to begin.
Hope springs eternal for fans of most sports teams just before a new season and that is especially true for the Los Angeles Lakers this season.
Often that optimism is ill-founded. But Lakers fans have 5 compelling reasons to be legitimately excited about their team this season.
5. LeBron James
It is certainly a cause for sky-high optimism when a player who has made the All-Star team and All-NBA team for the last 14 consecutive years while averaging at least 25 points per game each year signs with your team. If that same player has finished in the top-5 of the MVP voting the last 13 years, winning four awards, it just might make fans downright giddy.
LeBron joins the Lakers with high expectations in the twilight of a great career, as did the then 32-year-old Wilt Chamberlain 50 years ago. But at that time, Wilt’s game had already shown signs of decline. He still had five excellent seasons with the Lakers, helping them make the NBA Finals four times and winning their first title in LA, but they were the worst five years statistically of his magnificent career.
By contrast, even though LBJ is almost two years older (he’ll turn 34 in December), he is still performing at the highest level. James has somehow managed to avoid any serious injury and has played at least 74 games in 13 of his 15 seasons.
Lakers fans are understandably thrilled to see LBJ don the purple and gold and hope he will help lead the otherwise young team to the Promised Land of NBA championships.