LeBron James said Anthony Davis is the face of the Lakers franchise as the team looks to build off last season's run to the Western Conference finals.
Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09.EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Two decades into his NBA career, with a trophy shelf that's running out of room due to all of his accomplishments,"He is the face [of the franchise]," James told ESPN during the Lakers' annual media day Monday.
Davis pushed his timeline past James' in August, however, by signing a three-year, $186 million max extension that will keep him with the purple and gold through 2028. At the time of the agreement, it was the most lucrative annual contract extension in league history, averaging $62 million per season.
They capped their first season with a championship in the NBA bubble in Orlando, Florida, in 2020. The same level of success did not follow, with L.A. losing in the first round in 2021 and failing to qualify for the 2022 postseason altogether as injuries to Davis and others took their toll. However, when asked directly by a reporter if his new contract makes him feel like it is now his team, Davis did not indulge in the line of questioning.There is no downplaying Davis' importance to the team -- whether it comes with the unofficial title as face of the franchise or not -- and he acknowledged as much.
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