Because of that, former All-Star guard Gilbert Arenas believes that even if the Lakers somehow win the championship this year and next, James will not get the credit he deserves, and his critics won’t count those as part of his ring total.
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“If he just waits two more years and then he averaging 15, 16, and then he wins two more, ain’t nobody going to give him credit for that,” said Arenas. “It’d be just himself. They gonna say n–a got four and a possible two. They not gonna give him credit for that, man. Let’s just be honest.”
LeBron is down to third in the Lakers’ hierarchy
With Luka Doncic leading the league in scoring at 35.0 points per game, and Austin Reaves 9th overall in the latest scoring list at 27.8 points per game this season, LeBron has basically been reduced to the third option on the Lakers at 16.5 points per game.
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Looking at the Lake Show’s shot chart, that is correct, as James’ 13.0 field goal attempts per game ranks only third on the team, behind Luka’s 23.0 and Austin’s 16.9 per contest. As far as usage rate is concerned, James is also just third at 22.6, with Doncic’s 38.0 leading the NBA and Reaves’ 28.5 second-highest on the team.
Because of that, Arenas thinks that it will be hard, if not impossible, for Bron to receive recognition if he wins a ring or two, that is, unless he is the best player in the championship series.
“They’ll still say, ‘Michael Jordan 6-0 with six Finals MVPs,'” added Gil. “So, unless he wins it and the Finals MVP, it’d still be six rings to four, no thank you, sir.”
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JJ Redick says LeBron can still carry the Lakers
LeBron winning Finals MVP at his age seems unfathomable. However, after James played his best game of the season against the Philadelphia 76ers last week, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said that the soon-to-be 41-year-old “King James” proved that he can still carry the Lakers when the situation calls for him to.
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“I don’t think Lebron needs confidence, but it’s a fair question because I do think it is important to be reminded every now and then what you were capable of,” Redick said. “For him to have the injuries, and then start the season playing catch-up in a way, and start the season playing catch-up in the team that already has a good rhythm. As a player, I don’t care how good you were. That is tough to figure out.”
However, LeBron winning the Finals MVP is one thing. The Lakers’ very presence in the NBA Finals is another, given they reside in the same conference as the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are dominating the league like no other. Given how well the Thunder are performing this year, the ring count between MJ and LeBron is likely to remain at six versus four.
Related: Former NBA coach praises the longevity of players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and James Harden: “It says a lot about this generation”
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 13, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
