Exclusive | Derek Fisher breaks down Lakers fans love-hate relationship LeBron James in exclusive interview
Former Laker Derek Fisher believes LeBron James wasn’t as beloved by the franchise’s fans as he should’ve been. “It’s hard to tell fans exactly what they should or shouldn’t do,” Fisher told the California Post.“I just think the celebration of his departure is a little bit much.
I don’t know what the expectations were, short of winning multiple championships, which no NBA team has done since 2018 basically other than the Warriors.”James joined the Lakers as a free agent in 2018 after winning two championships with the Heat (2012 and 2013) and one with the Cavaliers (2016).He helped dig the Lakers out of their lowest point in franchise history after they missed the playoffs six straight seasons, leading them to their first championship in a decade in 2020 in just his second season with the team. When the 41-year-old James decided to leave the Lakers earlier this month after eight seasons, his longest consecutive stretch with any franchise over his 23-season career, Fisher was taken aback by the reaction from Lakers fans, which he deemed as “celebrating.”“I don’t know what he was supposed to fulfill that he didn’t fulfill,” Fisher told The Post.
“He took us to the playoffs [six] seasons, an NBA title, a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2023, the relevance, national television.The brand didn’t suffer.
The Lakers are still world famous for great reasons.So, that part is a little confusing to me.”As for why there’s an apparent disconnect between James and Laker fans?Fisher believes it’s because the superstar is being unfairly compared to franchise legends, such as Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson, who each won five championships with the Lakers and spent their entire careers (20 seasons and 13 seasons, respectively) with the team.
James never belonged to the Lakers in the same way.He didn’t grow up in the organization.
He spent the first 15 seasons of his career in the Eastern Conference.He was already consider...