The NBA Playoffs kicked off last week, and the more I think about, the more it is clear who needs to win them this year for his legacy.
No, it is not Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, coming off his incredible MVP-caliber season. It is not James Harden with the Clippers, still trying to establish himself by winning his first ring. It certainly is not Steph Curry in Golden State, who has already won four championships.
The player who needs this finals win the most is none other than LeBron James. Let me explain.
We do not have to pretend his place in history is in jeopardy. LeBron is a Mount Rushmore player, no questions asked. He is the all-time scoring leader, a four-time MVP and has been to the Finals ten times. But legacies do not freeze in place; they evolve. And for a player who has always chased more than stats; for someone who has dared to chase Michael Jordan; this moment looms large.
If the Lakers go all the way, it would give LeBron his fifth ring. That ties him with Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan. It also closes the gap to Jordan’s six, giving new life to the GOAT debate. But beyond numbers, this championship would be a statement. A ring at 39, in Year 21, would be unprecedented. It would be the ultimate “I’m still him” mic drop in a league getting younger, faster, and deeper.
LeBron is not just playing against opponents, he is playing against time. Critics have long pointed to his Finals losses (4–6 record) as a blemish. They argue he piled up stats in the social media era but never matched Jordan’s killer instinct. But winning this title, in the twilight of his career, would rewrite that script. It would show that leadership, longevity, and sustained greatness can be just as iconic as six-for-six.
There is also the Luka Doncic factor. Now that LeBron is paired up with one of the five best players in the league, there is more pressure for him to deliver in big moments. If the Lakers fail to capture the title, the narrative will surely be that LeBron and Luka “failed.” Critics will say this was LeBron’s best opportunity for a championship since his days in Miami, and would blame him for the team falling short.
In a postseason that features juggernauts like Oklahoma City, Boston, and Denver, leading the Lakers to a title would not feel cheap or easily won. Winning another title in purple and gold would tie him more deeply to a franchise defined by legends: Magic, Kareem, Kobe. Right now, he’s an all-time great who played for the Lakers. A second title makes him an unquestioned Laker legend.
King James has nothing left to prove. But greatness is greedy. It always wants one more. This playoff run may be his last, best chance to take what would be the crowning jewel of his career. The title that silences the doubters. The one that puts the GOAT debate back on the table.
So yes, the Lakers need to win this title: for history, for legacy, for LeBron.
Because time is starting to run out.
