LeBron James had chance TO END NBA bubble season and send everybody home, reveals Austin Rivers

The NBA bubble season in 2020 was a remarkable feat of resilience and innovation. The league managed to create a safe and secure environment for the players and staff amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and delivered a thrilling and competitive postseason.

One of the most pivotal moments of the bubble season was when the Milwaukee Bucks decided to boycott their playoff game against the Orlando Magic on Aug. 26, 2020, in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was shot seven times in the back by police in Kenosha, Wis. The Bucks’ protest sparked a domino effect among other teams and players, who also refused to take the court for their scheduled games. The NBA was on the brink of a shutdown, and the future of the season was in jeopardy.

That’s when LeBron James stepped up. In a recent appearance on The Ringer, Austin Rivers, who played for the Houston Rockets in the bubble, revealed how James had the power to end or save the bubble season. Rivers said that there was a players-only meeting to discuss whether they wanted to continue playing or not. He said that everyone was sharing their opinions, but no one was really paying attention. They were all just waiting for James to speak.

“When I was in the bubble, we had a meeting, a players-only meeting, to ask whether we wanted to continue playing or not,” Rivers said. “This is after the [Milwaukee] Bucks just decided not to show up and not play that one game, and everybody kinda was like, ‘Wait, wait, what’s going on?’ … We were all just waiting to see if LeBron was gonna play or not. And if he wasn’t, then people were just gonna move on and not wanna play. Udonis Haslem literally grabbed the mic and gets up and goes, ‘Ayo, big bro, what we doing?’ … He goes, ‘If you ain’t playing, the Heat are out.’ And he drops the mic.”

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LeBron James leads Lakers to Championship in bubble, dedicates title to Kobe Bryant

James, who has been one of the most outspoken and influential voices for social justice in sports and beyond, was reportedly torn about whether to play or not. He wanted to use his platform to raise awareness and demand change, but he also wanted to fulfil his obligation to his team and his fans.

He ultimately decided to play on and persuaded his fellow players to do the same. James led his Los Angeles Lakers to win the championship in the bubble, defeating the Heat in six games in the finals. He dedicated his fourth title to Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash earlier that year.

James’ choice to play in the bubble was not only vital for his legacy as a basketball player but also as a social leader. He showed that he could balance his passion for the game with his passion for justice, and inspire others to do the same.

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