Fans and bettors of the Los Angeles Lakers have been waiting for this long-awaited news: The Lakers have won the NBA Championship! Game after game, Lakers fans have not given up hope that their beloved team will finally get a chance to have that trophy in their hands. And finally, it happened, and everything was worth the wait. In Game 6 of the NBA finals, the Lakers won against Miami Heat with 106-93. 

Lebron James is Crowned MVP

The team might have won the most memorable championship in Lakers history. They now have 17 NBA titles, which means that they tied with the Boston Celtics for the most in league history. A key player that has helped lead the team to victory is none other than Lebron James. At age 35, he was named the NBA finals’ MVP or Most Valuable Player. It’s his fourth time getting the award in his career. In the past 10 seasons, he made his ninth trip to the finals and now James has won four championships with three different franchises. On Sunday evening, he powered through the NBA finals with 28 points, 10 assists and 14 rebounds. He averaged 29.8 points, 8.5 assists and 11.8 rebounds, and shot 59% from the field for the whole series.   

In an interview, James stated, “It doesn’t matter where it happens if you win a championship. A bubble, Miami, Golden State — it doesn’t matter. When you get to this point, it’s one of the greatest feelings in the world for a basketball player to be able to win at the highest level.”

A Long Journey to Success

It was a gruelling and eventful 12 months not just for the Lakers, but the whole world. It was not easy to come this far because a lot of things have happened to lead up to their victory. Here are some of the events that have occurred in the past few months, which makes their win an unforgettable event.

Preseason Trip to China

One of the most controversial events took place on a preseason trip to China. The Lakers had two games against the Nets when it suddenly became an international incident. The Houston Rockets’ general manager, Daryl Morey, had made a tweet that sparked the rage of the Chinese government. He had tweeted his support for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protesters. Because of this, the Lakers were restricted to their hotel for days. When they returned home, James criticised Morey for “misinformed or not really educated on the situation.” This, in turn, also elicited scathing remarks from many fans because it appeared that he was downplaying the relevance of free speech.

Kobe Bryant’s Death

This might be the biggest shock and still the most heartbreaking event for the Lakers and the NBA. Bryant who is considered an icon in basketball and a former Lakers player had died along with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna and nine other people in a helicopter crash outside of Los Angeles. Bryant had spent his whole career with the Lakers, winning five championships before his retirement in 2016. Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ general manager, and almost all of the current players including James were among Bryant’s closest friends.

Protests Against Police Brutality 

The Lakers and many players of the NBA are not one to back down when it comes to relevant matters such as the “Black Lives Matter” movement. With a huge portion of its players belonging to such a race, it became a huge deal for the team. It was two weeks after the season was indefinitely suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic that protests against police brutality and racial injustice turned the country inside out. Many even questioned whether the NBA season should be cancelled. But, thankfully, that was not the case.     

Those are some of the many events that have transpired. Despite the many setbacks, the Lakers pushed on and have come this far. After 10 years, because of their perseverance, they finally get to have their much-deserved win.

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One of the most memorable events that happened this year for the NBA was the death of Kobe Bryant. Bryant or famously called the “Black Mamba,” was an icon in basketball and will always be a legend among Lakers fans and even in NBA history. 

On January 26th, he and his 13-year old daughter Gianna Bryant or “Gigi”, also nicknamed as Mambacita, and seven others tragically died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. They were travelling to Camarillo Airport for a basketball game at the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks. Like her father, Gigi had a passion for basketball and had dreamed of making it into the WNBA. Kobe also had big plans for his daughter and wanted her to reach those dreams. 

A Touching Tribute by Former NBA Teammate

The sweetest way to honour his friend and his daughter, Pau Gasol, gave his newborn daughter the name “Elisabet Gianna Gasol,” her middle name was taken from Gianna Bryant’s name. 

On his Instagram, Gasol posted, “Our little one has finally arrived!! The delivery went really well and we couldn’t be happier!! Elisabet Gianna Gasol, a very meaningful name for our super beautiful daughter!! #girldad.” 

While his wife, Catherine, posted on hers: “Elisabet Gianna Gasol joined our family on September 10th, 2020. She made a quick and easy entrance on a VERY special day, her great-grandmother Elizabeth’s 100th birthday and her mom and dad’s 2nd engagement anniversary. We are already so in love with our sweet Ellie!! #GasolFamilyOf3 #girlmom #girldad #EllieGasol”

What is also touching in these posts is Pau and Catherine’s use of the hashtag #GirlDad. The hashtag trended worldwide as a way for fathers across the globe to pay tribute to Kobe after his death. It was a way to celebrate their relationships with their daughters.

Close Relationship with Kobe

Both Gasol and Kobe had played on the NBA team Los Angeles Lakers from 2008 to 2014. In 2009 and 2010, they had won two NBA championships. The pair remained close until Kobe’s death. In the Players’ Tribune, a collection of stories that was compiled last August, Kobe’s former teammates and players who faced him recounted their experiences and moments with the remarkable basketball player. 

For Gasol, he wrote, “I don’t believe that Kobe ever took a break. It was championship mode, pure and simple. The six and a half years I played with Kobe were my best basketball years. I learned the most about my game, and a big reason was number 24.” 

Many basketball players and fans have been deeply affected by Kobe’s death, but they know that his memory and legacy lives on. The future of basketball is still promising, and legends and icons will rise. But of course, none will ever replace the Black Mamba.

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The NBA games are off to a start as activities and events are held in none other than Disney World. Not many people might know this but on the southern edge of the Florida mega-resort is a 220-acre basketball, volleyball, football, competitive cheer and lacrosse complex also known as the ESPN Wide World of Sports. The NBA teams have begun arriving at Disney since July 7.

The recent games between the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers have made a few fans happy for the restart of the season. But, there has been something more prominent that has the NBA games in its grasp, something that is bigger than basketball.

“Black Lives Matter” in the NBA games

During the national anthem, every NBA player kneeled down wearing “Black Lives Matter” shirts. These athletes have been vocal in their calls for social justice. In the wake of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s deaths, among many, it has caused a spark all around the world. This has led to protests against racisms, discrimination and most especially police brutality that has led to the many deaths of Black Americans. 

What NBA Players Think

Unsurprisingly, one of the leading NBA players that are pushing for reforms and social equality is none other than LeBron James.  

According to his interview with Turner Sports after the Lakers’ win in a game, Lebron stated, “The game of basketball has always been bigger than just a ball and a rim and 10 guys on the floor, four referees. We used this platform to spread a lot of positive, a lot of love throughout the course of the whole world.” 

The suspended season last March 11 due to the pandemic has made a lot of sports fans frustrated, and the league and NBA players hope to begin it again in a positive direction, by making an impact on the world and taking a stand.

“We understand what’s going on in society right now and we’re using this NBA platform as the players, as the coaches, as organizations to continue to stand strong on that.

“It’s a good start, it’s a good start tonight. It’s great to have the NBA back and I hope our fans are proud of us tonight,” James further stated.

The Importance of “Black Lives Matter”

Last June, James and prominent athletes such as Trae Young, Jalen Rose and more helped form the More Than A Vote. This was to protect Black voting rights. On the other hand, the NBA has made progress since one of the signature steps it has chosen to take to support their players is by having the “Black Lives Matter” statement right on the court for every NBA game in Orlando. 

But they still have a long way to go, and more work still needs to be done.

According to James, “In the past when we’ve seen progress, we’ve let our foot off the gas a little bit. We can’t do that. We want to continue to keep our foot on the gas, continue to push forward, continue to spread love throughout America.”

Basketball has shown that it is more than a sport and as can be seen from its players, no wonder many are avid supporters of the sport. It just goes to show that there is more to sports than meets the eye.

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