It is very rare in sports when the most polarizing athlete plays for the most polarizing franchise. In each sport, it looks a little different. The stars have aligned and made many fans and NBA savants fantasies come true. LeBron James plays for the Los Angeles Lakers.
In the NFL, it is the equivalent to the best player playing for the Dallas Cowboys. Then in the MLB, it is the New York Yankees. However, this is a scenario that might be unlike any other we have seen before.
James is the biggest star in the sports world outside of potentially Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The affects of his arrival in Los Angeles are paramount.
The sports world was collectively locked in for a preseason matchup between the reigning champion Golden State Warriors and the Lakers. A preseason game that has no meaning or bearing on the season. However, the game drew a 1.6 metered market rating per espnmediazone.com. That is a 129 percent increase from a comparable game last preseason.
People cannot get enough of James as a Laker. Even in his debut as a Laker in Portland, he was the story despite losing.
His debut at Staples Center is even being billed as an event rather than a regular basketball game. Most people regularly diminish regular season games due to the abundance of them. However, this regular season each game for the Lakers feels important and that is because of LeBron.
The LeBron affect is apparent in regards to the television schedule. Los Angeles will have the most nationally televised games (43) despite only winning 35 games last season. The Golden State Warriors are the reigning NBA champions and have 40 nationally televised games.
This just shows that the lights will be shining the brightest on Los Angeles this season because of LeBron. While they may not be the favorites to win the title this season, they will be the most watched team all year.
That brings its own set of pressure and expectations that can weigh heavy on some players. Former James teammate Rodney Hood is quoted saying so per NBC Sports:
“You lose a game and you feel like the world is coming down. You win, it’s like, you’re supposed to win. It’s still a struggle to me to adapt to that”
This young Lakers team has already got an early dosage of this following their loss to Portland. The media immediately dissecting each weakness of the team and hitting the panic button after one game. Then there are the irrational expectations that will come their way just because James is on the roster.
James has done his part tempering the expectations by noting it is a process per ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk:
“I always kind of compare it to like instant oatmeal. It is not that fast. It takes a while to get to where you can close your eyes and know exactly where your guys are.”
Many forget that chemistry was an initial issue on James’ first Miami Heat team. They were 9-8 to start the season despite having three top 15 players on the roster. That core went on to win two out of four championships, but it was all a process.
This is no different when it comes to this young budding Lakers team. It will all take time as players like Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma continue to develop. However, they have the biggest domino in all sports that can speed any process up.
It is a process that will be at the center of the basketball world. With all eyes on the king.
Brendan Abban is the owner/creator of brendanabban.com and hosts the KBR Sports podcast. Follow him on Twitter @AbbanBrendan or email him via [email protected].
