It still amazes many that, despite everything he accomplished during his eight-year stint with the LA Lakers , LeBron James ' legacy with the franchise continues to be questioned after announcing that he will not return to play for them in the 2026-27 season.
On top of that, some critics have even argued that his lone championship came only because he was surrounded by great players and the franchise supported him more than they would other superstar players.
That narrative is exactly what triggered Shannon Sharpe , who pointed out the double standard surrounding LeBron's accomplishments.
Speaking on his "NightCap Show," Sharpe questioned how anyone could criticize LBJ for needing help when virtually every all-time great benefitted from having elite teammates.
"Kobe won by himself? Who won by himself? Nobody has won by themselves," Sharpe said. "Nobody has won a championship by themself. Larry Bird had other Hall of Famers… Jordan had Pippen. So all these had the Top 50 players. So only LeBron was expected to win by himself?"
Beyond the 2020 NBA championship, LeBron restored relevance to the Lakers franchise, which had drifted into mediocrity after Kobe Bryant 's retirement.
Even though rigid Lakers fans never truly embraced LBJ and kept comparing his impact to Kobe's, the four-time MVP wholeheartedly delivered on the court. James averaged 25.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game.
That kind of consistency earned him eight All-Star selections, more than James Worthy ever earned in a Lakers jersey and seven All-NBA Team honors, surpassing the totals recorded by Lakers legends like Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Cooper and Worthy during their time with the franchise.
So, not only did James become a superstar everyone turned out to see in action in arenas, elevating the Lakers' appeal, but he also consistently delivered memorable moments. Such as surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA's all-time leading scorer wearing the Purple and Gold, or becoming the first father-son duo to share the court.
Sharpe also highlighted what he believes is the biggest double standard in today's NBA. Given that Nikola Jokic , being in his prime, has led the Denver Nuggets to a single championship and a trip to the Western Conference Finals, many unquestionably label him the greatest player in franchise history.
Then two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo received similar recognition after leading the Milwaukee Bucks to their first title in 50 years.
Yet when King James achieved a comparable feat with the Lakers, despite arriving well after his athletic prime, his impact and success continue to be doubted. That, according to Shannon, is the unwarranted criticism James has faced throughout his career.
"We'll take Giannis' eight years in Milwaukee, we'll take Jokic's last eight years in Denver. All of them one championship," Sharpe added. "LeBron's a failure? So is Jokic, so is Giannis."
This just shows that no matter where the four-time MVP goes next or what he accomplishes, there will always be people determined to minimize his achievements.
Related: "You wanted Russ, you got Russ" - Shanon Sharpe's message to LeBron and AD
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jul 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
