James Worthy has spoken of the possibility of having LeBron James statues
As an all-time scorer, Worthy is convinced this is proof enough on James statue
James grew up in Cleveland, Ohio
Legendary Los Angeles Lakers player James Worthy has spoken of the possibility of having statues in Cleveland and Los Angeles immortalizing LeBron James.
Worthy, a three-time NBA champion spoke with a partygoer at the Teqball USA Pre-ESPY event on James’ enduring history with the Lakers.
He recognized that James hasn’t been with the Lakers long enough to get a statue just yet, but his achievements speak volumes.
As an all-time scorer, Worthy is convinced this is proof enough on LeBron James statue in Los Angeles. James surpassed Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s record to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in February 2023.
He scored 38 points in a 133-130 loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder to break Abdul-Jabbar’s 1989 record of 38,387 points.
“Personally – and I think he’d agree – he hasn’t been here long enough. But I think his overall greatness, when you have a player like LeBron, who breaks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s [all-time scoring] record in Los Angeles, does it as a Laker, then wins a championship as a Laker, you can’t argue that he could get a statue in Los Angeles,” he told TMZ.
Six statues honoring basketball greats including Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, and announcer Chick Hearn are currently located outside the Lakers’ arena.
Additionally, his rich history with his former team Cleveland Cavaliers also merits James a statue in Cleveland, Ohio where he grew up.
James has had tremendous success with the Cleveland Cavaliers, which is nothing short of amazing. It is in Ohio where he became a high school basketball star, garnering notice around the country and turning heads with his extraordinary talent.
The Cleveland Cavaliers selected him with the first overall pick in the 2003 draft and this raised enormous hopes for a failing team.
James immediately set the stage for the game with an unmatched display of athleticism, ability, and basketball IQ. He rapidly established himself as the team’s face, guiding the Cavaliers to unprecedented heights of achievement and reviving basketball in Cleveland.
LeBron James dribbling. Photo/ Encyclopedia Britannica
He became one of the league’s biggest stars while leading the team to multiple playoff berths to the NBA Finals in 2007.
However, James’ choice to leave the Cavaliers and sign with the Miami Heat in 2010 caused debate and anger among Cleveland supporters. He was still motivated to win a championship for his city despite his relocation. He went back to the Cavaliers in 2014 in search of atonement and a chance to keep a promise he had made to his neighbourhood.
He adopted the position of a mentor and leader during his second stint with the Lakers, directing a youthful and talented lineup.
His influence was seen right away as he guided the Cavaliers to four straight visits to the NBA Finals from 2015 to 2018, including a historic championship victory in 2016.
The 2016 NBA Finals will always be remembered for James and the Cavaliers’ comeback victory over the Golden State Warriors after falling behind 3-1, giving Cleveland its first-ever NBA title and delivering on his promise.
Teresa is a journalist with years of experience in creating web content. She is a wanderlust at heart, but an outgoing sports writer with focus on tennis, athletics, football, motorsports and NBA.
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