Several former and current NBA players took to social media to congratulate the Los Angeles Lakers for winning the 2020 championship.
Among the first to greet the Lakers was big man Pau Gasol, who played for the Purple and Gold for seven seasons and won two titles. He congratulated the team and owner Jeanie Buss and declared that the Lakers’ 17th banner was for the Bryant family.
This one is for you brother, for you Gianna, for Vanessa, for Natalia, for Bianka and for Capri. 🐍🖤
Congratulations to the entire @Lakers team, @JeanieBuss and the Lakers family for winning the 17th championship!! 👏👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/glYG421whq
— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) October 12, 2020
Gasol’s former teammate with the Lakers, Metta World Peace, put the difficulty of playing in these Finals in perspective before echoing Gasol’s statement about the title being dedicated to the late Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna.
Big finals. The toughest finals in the history of all sports
— Metta (@MettaWorld37) October 12, 2020
Congrats Gigi and Kobe and Bryant family
— Metta (@MettaWorld37) October 12, 2020
Former Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, a three-time champion and former teammate of Lakers forward LeBron James, praised the dominance of Los Angeles in Game 6, which they won 106-93 to clinch the title.
The Lakers played like everyone thought they would. This was pure dominance tonite!
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) October 12, 2020
Another player familiar with the NBA Finals, former San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, a five-time champion, congratulated James, the Lakers, the Miami Heat for an improbable playoff run, and the NBA for pulling off the Bubble and finishing a season unlike any.
That #23 dude is pretty good!! Congrats to the @Lakers on another championship and to the @MiamiHEAT, wonderful team! Congrats to the @NBA also for doing very successfully what almost nobody thought could be done! #chapeau.
— Manu Ginobili (@manuginobili) October 12, 2020
Former Laker Jordan Clarkson, who was drafted and played for Los Angeles from 2014-2018 and was James' teammate with the Cleveland Cavaliers during their 2018 run to the NBA Finals, also congratulated his former team.
https://twitter.com/JordanClarksons/status/1315478459473252352
Former Detroit Pistons point guard and Hall of Fame Isiah Thomas, who earlier anointed Lakers forward LeBron James as the greatest basketball player of all time, praised James for not only being a champion, but for also speaking out on social issues.
The #champion who speaks for the voiceless is the #Goat @KingJames https://t.co/3ek43VObP5
— Isiah Thomas (@IsiahThomas) October 12, 2020
And finally, a pair of franchise legends couldn’t help but feel excited about their former team’s latest championship trophy, with five-time champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and three-time champion James Worthy congratulating the team they helped win multiple titles in the 1980s as part of the Showtime Lakers.
It’s reigning purple & gold !!!!! Congrats to @Lakers – your hard work & dedication popped the bubble ! pic.twitter.com/ChBoFlJyNh
— Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (@kaj33) October 12, 2020
It’s such a wonderful feeling. Congrats @KingJames @AntDavis23 and the whole squad. You never forget your first title in purple and gold. pic.twitter.com/oIcOwln0kN
— James Worthy (@JamesWorthy42) October 12, 2020