Vanessa Bryant posts photo of late husband Kobe with LA Lakers GM Rob Pelinka after NBA win

LeBron James became the first player to win the NBA Finals MVP award with three different teams on Sunday, and for LA Lakers coach Frank Vogel, the Ohio native has cemented his status as the greatest player “the basketball universe has ever seen.”

James’s fourth NBA Championship, which came after leading the Lakers to a 106-93 win over the Miami Heat in Game Six, also saw him take home his fourth Finals MVP award.

He only follows Chicago Bull’s great Michael Jordan, who won six to go through his six NBA championships.

35-year-old James, who also won the award in two championship runs with Miami and one with Cleveland, averaged 29.8 points per game on 59% of the final shots as he led a defensive effort leading the Heat offense. in Game Six handcuffed.

While many still consider Jordan the greatest player of all time, Vogel placed James above him.

“He is the best player the basketball universe has ever seen,” Vogel told reporters.

And if you think you know, you don’t know, okay, until you’re around him every day, you coach him, you see his mind, you see his adjustments, you see the way he leads the group.’

Laker’s teammate Kyle Kuzma said James was a driving force on the field and beyond.

“He is one of the greatest leaders in the sport, not just the NBA,” said Kuzma.

“He always gathers the troops, talks in group chats and makes sure everything is okay. Keeps everyone to a high standard. Makes everyone responsible.

“Anything you want in a leader.”

James had said that for the first time since 2010, his sole focus was to bring the Larry O’Brien trophy back to Los Angeles when he joined in the summer of 2018 after the franchise fell into troubled times.

“It means a lot to represent this franchise,” said James.

“I told (Lakers president) Jeanie (Buss) when I got here that I would put this franchise back in the position it belongs to.

‘We just want our respect. Rob (Pelinka) wants his respect, Coach (Frank) Vogel wants his respect, our organization wants his respect, Laker’s nation wants his respect, ‘he said.

“And I want my damn respect too.”