LeBron James has had his fair share of all-star sidekicks throughout his tenure. The most obvious, of course, was the iconic “Big 3” squad that consisted of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Their uniting resulted in two NBA titles for the Miami Heat, kicking off the beginning of James’ championship résumé. Then there was Kyrie Irving, who despite having issues with being James’ right-hand man, was a key factor in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ historic championship run in 2016.
Now, for the first time in his career, James may not be the biggest threat on his team. The Los Angeles Lakers took part in arguably the best trade of this past summer when they acquired Anthony Davis. Davis is currently leading the team in points per game with 26 and is an early contender for Defensive Player of the Year. Together, he and James have become one of the most dominant duos in the league, leading the Lakers to the top spot in the western conference.
Wade is certainly considered James’ most legendary teammate, considering the chemistry between the two and Wade’s long list of career accolades. And even Irving will always be remembered for his 2016 Finals performance when both he and James put up 41 points in a crucial game 5, and when he hit the series-clinching shot in game 7. However, this is not an argument centered around who James worked best with, because in that case it would be Wade. I am only determining which of James’ teammates was the best player at the time he played with them.
I am aware it is early in the season, but all the signs point to Davis having the best season of all of James’ past and present teammates. It has been well established that Davis is officially in his prime, as he is playing the best basketball we have seen him play in this league. Not only is he an offensive nightmare, but he has also played tremendous defense this season, averaging 2.7 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. Davis could very well be the best player to join forces with James.
James is no stranger to having to carry the weight of a team, but he most likely will not be capable of such a demanding task for much longer. As James is considered to be entering the twilight of his career, a young Anthony Davis is just what James needs to help lead the Lakers. No matter the teammate, he has always been looked at as “the man” on just about every NBA roster he has been on. This is the first time that debate could legitimately be in question. Regardless of whose team it is, the two have successfully led the Lakers to a 19-3 record as two of the most dominant players in the NBA.
Heart of a Champion 
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