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In an unprecedented 24th season in the NBA, LeBron James will try to make even more history with his new fourth team.
James signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers late last month, joining a team with newly acquired Jaylen Brown, one-time MVP Joel Embiid and scoring machine Tyrese Maxey to make them a championship contender in the Eastern Conference.
No player has ever won an NBA title with four separate teams (James is one of four players to win with three, along with John Salley, Robert Horry and Danny Green), but before James tries to bring one to Philly for the first time since 1983, his Los Angeles Lakers legacy is already a hot topic.
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Shaquille O’Neal, general manager of Team Shaq, and LeBron James high five before the 74th NBA All-Star Game at Chase Center in San Francisco, California, on Feb. 16, 2025. (Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images)
James helped the Lakers win the 2020 NBA title in the Disney “bubble” for his fourth title, for each of which he was named the Finals MVP. That is enough, Shaquille O’Neal says, to be considered a Lakers great.
“He definitely won a championship there and was a big game player, so he’s in the building,” O’Neal told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
But he stopped short of putting him in the “top floor.”
“Top floor belongs to Magic (Johnson), Kobe (Bryant), and Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar). I’m going to put Kareem,” O’Neal continued. “The second floor is me and those other guys.
LeBron James, center, poses with Adam Silver, left and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar after becoming the all-time NBA scoring leader, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at 38388 points during the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023 in Los Angeles, CA. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
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“Kobe and Magic played there longer than I did, and Magic was the first guy to bring that ‘set.’ LeBron will probably always be under those guys, but that doesn’t take away from what he’s done in the game.”
While discussing the timeless James, O’Neal recalled his timeless memories of eating Lucky Charms, as the self-dubbed cereal expert will be helping “the biggest cereal fan” win cash prizes, a hangout with the Big Diesel and more through General Mills’ latest contest.
“I eat cereal because it brings out the kid in me,” the newest General Mills partner said. “It’s what I like to do when I’m watching movies; last night, I was watching “Stranger Things Chapter 3,” and it came on so perfect I had to pause it and go in there and get me some Lucky Charms, buddy. A big bowl, too. I came back in, turned my light on, turned the AC down to make it colder in the room, and hit play; it just made me feel like a kid because I’ve always been a Lucky Charms fan.
“Even though I’m 54, when I get home by myself and I’m watching a movie, I like to take it back to when I was age nine or 10 where mom and dad were sleeping. I’d go downstairs, get a nice bowl of cereal, and I’d have to wash the bowl before they got up so nobody knew I had my bowl of cereal… Teaming up with General Mills was a perfect fit because I’ve been eating these cereals forever.”
The one thing about James’ move to the City of Brotherly Love, however, is that there is, in fact, just one basketball.
LeBron James speaks onstage during the mind the game panel at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at Jacob Javits Center on July 16, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Fanatics) (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Fanatics)
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“If you look at that roster, it could be a legendary or dangerous roster. The dangerous part is I’m worried about Maxey and Brown, because Embiid is going to want the ball, and LeBron loves having the ball. Brown and Maxey are both used to having the ball deep into the shot clock to get into their shot. With LeBron holding the ball and Embiid wanting it in the post, them getting only two or three seconds with the shot clock is a different game. I don’t know if they are going to be ready for that,” O’Neal said.
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