The LeBron James era with the Los Angeles Lakers was, at best, interesting. In 2020, the Lakers won the NBA championship, but the COVID-19 pandemic kept them confined to the Orlando bubble.

As a result, Los Angeles couldn't celebrate the way they would under normal circumstances. James wished there was a parade. Among those who recognized the halloweness of the moment was former coach Doc Rivers, per Bill Simmons Podcast.

The lack of a parade and fans made it look like people didn't recognize the greatness.

“It was almost like people denied the title,” Rivers said. “There was no parade, so he didn't really get to have his day in LA… For the most part, Lakers fans never saw a great basketball team.”

Doc Rivers says the COVID season hurt LeBron James' legacy with the Lakers:

"It was almost like people denied the title. There was no parade, so he didn't really get to have his day in LA… For the most part, Lakers fans never saw a great basketball team." pic.twitter.com/jDDlkOADGC

— NBABase (@TheNBABase) November 6, 2026

2020 was unlike any other year in recent history. It began in January, when Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash that plunged the sports world into mourning.

Then in March, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world. In May, George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which sparked a resurgence in the movement for racial justice. Both James and Rivers were actively involved in that movement and in Get Out the Vote efforts.

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Ultimately, sports were confined to playing in bubbles to finish out their seasons.

The Lakers defeated the Miami Heat to win their first championship since 2010. Now, James is chasing his 5th NBA championship as his career nears its end, but with no end in sight.

Rivers is now an NBA analyst for NBC Sports.