Anthony Davis:
The last form of proof that James is indeed a superstar that other NBA superstars aspire to team-up with is in LeBron’s newest superstar teammate, Anthony Davis.
Davis did not sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, but he might as well have. He requested a trade earlier this season and made sure to clarify that his preferred destination was with James on the Lakers.
Anthony Davis is in the prime of his career, so it would have been understandable if he wanted to lead the way on whatever team he would end up on. Instead, Davis chose LeBron. The idea that superstars don’t want to play with LeBron is accurate, but the idea that any superstar wants to play in another’s shadow is fictitious.
For someone to play in someone else’s shadow when they’ve proven to be a great number one option, takes great sacrifice. Just like Wade, Bosh, Irving, and Love once did, Davis wanted to make that sacrifice to team-up with the likes of James.
Hollywood is great and Los Angeles, in general, is probably the best city in the world. But Davis could have asked for a trade to the Clippers and he didn’t. Davis wanted to wear the Purple and Gold and do so with James.
George has more to prove than Leonard, but we all know which star shines the brightest in Los Angeles, which makes it all the more fascinating that Davis wanted to play with LeBron. Davis’ desire to play with James further validates the intrigue that players don’t mind playing alongside and sometimes even in the shadow of James.