Los Angeles Lakers win the NBA finals following Kobe Bryant’s death

Source: lakersdaily.com

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 106-93, in a six game series to win the 2020 NBA Finals. This championship comes in the wake of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant’s horrific death in a helicopter accident, which also took the life of his 13-year-old daughter and seven others this past January. 

   Westerville North sophomore football and basketball player, Vincent Guagenti, has been a life-long Lakers fan. 

   “[Kobe] showed me what hard work could really do. That you can put your mind to anything,” Guagenti said on Bryant’s impact on him.

   For many, like Guagenti, Bryant was their role model; he was known for being a great example on and off the court. 

   Lee Rwema is a junior, and a basketball player at Westerville North. 

   “The Lakers wanted to win for [Kobe] and his family,” Rwema said. 

   “I think LeBron made it his mission to win that title for Kobe and his daughter,” Rwema added.

   This NBA season looked different than usual, as it abruptly came to a halt in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It later resumed in July in Orlando, Florida in a secure location, known as the NBA Bubble. Many NBA fans and critics say that the Finals this season comes with an asterisk, claiming the win should not be valid as it was done in the Bubble.

   “I actually liked the NBA Bubble format, and the play-in tournament. They found a way to keep the season going, while having no positive COVID tests,” Rwema said.

  LeBron James won his fourth championship this season with the Lakers, and also secured his fourth Finals MVP award. 

   “I told Jeanie [Buss, Lakers owner] when I came here that I was going to put this franchise back in a position where it belongs,” James said in an interview with ESPN after winning the Finals.

   “Laker Nation wants their respect, and I want my [explicative] respect too,” Lebron added in the interview.   

   This NBA Finals appearance brought the Lakers their 17th title win, tying their long-time rivals, the Boston Celtics, with the most in NBA history.