The Los Angeles Lakers, one of the NBA’s most storied franchises, find themselves at a crossroads. Once synonymous with dominance and championship glory, the team is now drawing criticism—not for a lack of talent, but for a lack of leadership and unity. In a fiery critique, sports analyst Stephen A. Smith did not hold back, expressing his frustration over what he sees as the decline of the Lakers into what he calls “The LeBron James Show.”
“I’ve had ENOUGH of this nonsense!” Smith exclaimed. “Let me say this loud and clear: The Los Angeles Lakers are not a championship team anymore – they’re the LeBron James Show.”
Smith pointed out that while LeBron James continues to deliver highlight-worthy moments—dunks, three-pointers, and crowd-hyping celebrations—the team as a whole has little to show for it in terms of actual success. According to him, these individual accomplishments are receiving more fanfare than the team’s collective victories, revealing a skewed focus that undermines team spirit and cohesion.
“Every dunk, every three, every ‘King this, King that’ moment… gets more celebration than the actual team’s wins,” he emphasized.
What’s more troubling, Smith argued, is the rest of the roster’s passive role. Instead of stepping up as competitive warriors, they appear to be mere spectators, cheering from the sidelines rather than battling alongside their star player.
“They’re not warriors out there,” Smith said. “They’re just props – standing around clapping like kids at a school play every time LeBron yells ‘Let’s go!’”
With over 30 signature LeBron moments this season and “ZERO banners to show for it,” Smith claims the root of the problem lies in leadership. Despite LeBron’s greatness, Smith believes the Lakers are in dire need of a different kind of leader—someone who can rally the entire squad and inspire a championship mindset.
“I’m sorry, but the Lakers need a real leader, a true alpha – and right now, LeBron James is not that guy,” Smith concluded. “I said what I said.”
As the NBA season progresses, one question looms large over the Lakers: Can they transform back into a team with a unified purpose, or will they remain a collection of highlights overshadowing the pursuit of banners? The answer may define the legacy of LeBron’s twilight years and the future of the Lakers franchise.
