The 2019-20 NBA season may have been organized under severe restrictions, but LeBron James doesn't think bagging the championships was a cakewalk for his side.
A large chunk of the fanbase has often questioned the lucidity of the Lakers' title victory in the "Bubble" season due to the absence of the usual environment for the matches. An influential NBA insider recently revamped this controversy with a shocking statement.
However, James refuted the narrative by sharing a few glimpses of his unwavering dedication to the sport, which he thinks is at the core of his king-like stature.
LeBron James used his remarkable 'work' ethic to school the ones questioning the 'legitimacy' of his 2020 NBA title
The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 triggered a massive change in the world order, along with taking its toll on the 2019-20 NBA season. The dreaded situation led to the season's suspension on March 11, 2020.
Nevertheless, in June, the NBA Board of Governors devised an improvised plan to complete the season, considering the COVID-19 restrictions. The remaining games took place inside the "NBA Bubble", where the players underwent regular COVID-19 tests and weren't allowed to leave the facility except for their games. The absence of the fans made the matches even more lackluster.
James' Lakers defeated the Miami Heat comprehensively in the season's finals to win the championships. However, in a recent interview with The Athletic, the Philadelphia 76ers general manager, Daryl Morey, questioned the "legitimacy" of the Lakers' victory due to the restrictions imposed on the players.
"Had the Rockets won the title, I absolutely would have celebrated it as legitimate, knowing the immense effort and resilience required," said Morey, who managed the Houston Rockets back then. "Yet, everyone I speak to around the league privately agrees that it doesn’t truly hold up as a genuine championship."
Morey's comments didn't sit well with James, who clapped back at him with an Instagram post on July 31. Its caption implied that his victories were the reapings of his hard "work", irrespective of what others said.
"Say whatever you want but you damn sure won't be able to say I didn't put in the WORK," said 'King James'. "We'll see what happens when I no longer exist. Man F this Shhhhhh."
The rumors related to James' potential trade sparked a lot of headlines in the community recently. However, the 40-year-old's indirect to-and-fro with the 76ers general manager might have provided fans with another highly engaging issue.