Every Lakers fan was happy when their team signed LeBron James, except a small contingent of truly demented Kobe Bryant acolytes. Murals featuring LeBron in purple and gold were repeatedly vandalized. These are the people who were apoplectic that LeBron had replaced Kobe as the guy whose greatness we compare to Michael Jordan’s, and now he was on Kobe’s old team.
Kobe disciples are easily the most irrational fans in sports, so nothing short of five rings in L.A. will lift LeBron above him in their eyes. That’s what makes this chant Hawks fans serenaded LeBron with last night in Atlanta so devastating.