In just a few weeks, LeBron James will begin his 23rd NBA season. This will mark his eighth year with the Los Angeles Lakers, the team he led to their 17th league title and where he has achieved countless individual milestones. In fact, he became recognized as one of the two greatest players in basketball history. Despite that, a former Lakers star argues he doesn’t deserve a statue at Crypto.com Arena.
The king of the court left a lasting legacy with the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning championships with both teams. Still, Byron Scott told TMZ Sports that he doesn’t believe LeBron deserves a statue.
Why the answer is no
According to Firstsportz, Scott said: “No, no statue. One championship in six or seven years—however long he’s been in Los Angeles. I think if he wins another, then he has a shot. But right now, if you look at the players with statues outside Crypto.com Arena, they all had longevity.”
Byron Scott says Lebron doesn’t deserve a Lakers statue pic.twitter.com/sIxpxahJe3
— TheTruth (@Thetruth8240) September 22, 2025
The former Lakers head coach argued that statues are for players who won multiple titles and spent most of their careers with the team. That’s not LeBron’s case—out of 23 NBA seasons, only eight have been with the Lakers. Still, Scott admitted LeBron could earn one if he wins another championship ring.
Meanwhile, Olden Polynice added: “The only thing I’ve always hated about LeBron… It’s like, when they win, it’s all him. When they lose, it’s all them. I’ve always hated that narrative. We could have spoken even more about his greatness if he had once said: ‘That’s on me.’ Just once, ‘That’s on me.’”
Although Polynice is a LeBron fan who considers him one of the greatest, he wished his idol had taken responsibility whenever his team lost. Instead, the king of the court often shifted the blame to his coaches, teammates, or the franchise’s front office.
