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LeBron James: Lakers Fans Don’t Care ‘What You’ve Done Before’

Los Angeles Lakers fans have been one of the most privileged fanbases in all of sports, leading to the well-known descriptor of “exceptionalism” for the franchise. LeBron James learned this first-hand when he signed with the team in the summer of 2018, quickly learning he would not receive a hero’s welcome.

Although L.A. had missed the playoffs for five consecutive seasons — the longest drought in team history at the time — fans did not see James as a savior for their franchise. He was just another in a long list of stars to don the purple and gold, something he had never been accustomed to with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat.