[TMZ] James Worthy on LeBron James: “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.”
James Worthy Says LeBron James Could Get Statues In L.A., Cleveland https://t.co/sIQXd2i23p
— TMZ (@TMZ) July 17, 2023
by ParisLake2
27 Comments
Such a bad take. He didn’t even score most of his points as a Laker.
Individual achievements where most of it occurred on another team does not warrant a statue.
I’d like to see Worthy get a statue.
Normally I would say no to a player who’s earned most of their stats/achievements on another team getting a statue but I do see the argument that can be made
He came here after our WORST years, brought us a title and broke the scoring record as a Laker (even if most the points were on other teams) on top of him being an all timer, I think the totality of the package might warrant the disccusion for sure
LeBron will have a statue regardless of his future Laker accomplishments.
I think he needs to be on the team little longer
I wouldn’t be opposed to a statue of LeBron, but it does feel like a statue in Cleveland should be more fitting. Do any players have multiple statues in different cities?
Let’s focus on getting a Kobe statue first before worrying about Lebron’s statue.
Idk. I feel like Lebron hasn’t been a Laker long enough for a statue. Perhaps a jersey retirement sure.
win another title and retire a laker then maybe
One ring doesn’t get a jersey retired yet alone a statue here. Two for a Jersey spot in the rafters, 3 gets you consideration in front of the stadium.
A statue… WTF
Nah
Jersey retired, yes. Statue? That’s a few more championships away imo. But that’s just me.
Fuck it. One of the top 2 players of all time decides to join us, bring us back to relevancy after being awful for half a decade and wins us a ring? Yeah build him a statue. Shouldn’t be as prominent as Kobe’s will be, but I feel like he’s earned it. Hell, he’s been playing for us longer than he played for the Heat. Dude was already a legend but now he’s also a Laker legend
lmao at you guys arguing against literally a Lakers great who is saying this.
Uh yes you can very easily. He has not done enough in Los Angeles as a laker to warrant a statue.
One more ring and he gets a statue
I just want to take a minute to appreciate the Lakers who have such a high bar of success that it’s a legit debate about giving one of the at least Top 3 GOATs that won the team a ring a statue in a league where the Thunder retired Nick Collison’s jersey.
I just met James Worthy while on vacation in Maui. He is really a nice man and we had a nice conversation. I expressed how much pleasure he gave me with his showtime Lakers. What a great memory to have.
He isn’t getting a statue unless he wins more for LA.
I don’t think he should get a statue.
There are only 5 Lakers with statues, all of whom have a majority of their careers defined by their time with the Lakers.
I think LeBron is in the same camp as Wilt Chamberlain. They both are generational talents that came to the Lakers and helped win a championship. But their most impactful years were spent elsewhere. Wilt’s statue is in Philadelphia.
There have been a lot of amazing players over the years who have worn the purple and gold. But statues, IMO, are for those who defined Laker culture, and who’s careers were defined most by their time in LA.
Elgin doesn’t have a ring, and Jerry only has 1 as a player. But they will always be remembered as Lakers; part of the Lakers “ethos”.
Retire a jersey? Absolutely. A statue? No.
FWIW: A non-NBA comparison I considered making is Nolan Ryan’s time with the California Angels. He did great things and has his number retired, but his career is more closely tied to his time with Texas.
Give me a stu lantz statue. That’s all I want (aside from KB).
Sorry but to give lebron a statue is just to claim him as a laker, because he didn’t score majority of the points as a laker or achieved most of his accolade at LA.
Bron probably needs another ring and mvp/fmvp to get one. I also wouldn’t be mad if they give him one simply because of where we were before he came.
I agree with Worthy on Bron’s accomplishments with another team, but he deserves a jersey in the rafters, at best, for his time with the Lakers.
I never hear this sort of conversation in Miami, and he gave them 2 championships in 3 Finals. Why is that?
Lakers better not retire both of Lebron’s jersey numbers. That honor should only be awarded to Kobe for spending 20 years in the purple and gold.
Ensuring that the All time scoring records stays in the hands of a Laker helps him a lot to be honest.
If you view LeBron as being the savior of the Lakers, bringing AD over, winning them a chip the year Kobe and breaking the all time scoring record. Then a statue doesn’t seem crazy.