Currently, there are four LeBron James champion rings. Who knows? He still might get another ring before he retires.
After all, he’s one of the greatest small forwards of all time. James has a lot left in his tank, and we won’t be surprised if he plays alongside his son, Bronny James.
LeBron James champion
Being one of the greatest players ever, it was inevitable that James would win multiple championships in his career. He has won different championships with each team he played for in his career: the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers.
Let’s take a look at the four LeBron James championships…
2011-12 Heat
Two of LeBron’s rings came with his second team, the Miami Heat. In 2010, James signed with the Heat, forming the “Big Three” with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. They easily became the favorites to win the championship that year due to how stacked their roster was.
However, they ultimately lost to the Dirk Nowitzki-led Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals.
The Heat once again made it to the NBA Finals and were hungry to win the championship. This time, they faced a young Oklahoma City Thunder team, led by Kevin Durant. He also had help from two future MVPs in Russell Westbrook and James Harden. This team was the second-best offensive team in the league in the regular season and the best offensive team in the playoffs.
Obviously, it wasn’t an easy task.
Ultimately, Miami won the series 4-1. James was crowned the Finals MVP after averaging 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game on 47% shooting. This was the first LeBron James champion title.
2012-13 Heat
After winning his first NBA championship, James didn’t slow down at all in the 2012-13 season. He averaged 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 53% shooting. After leading Miami to the top and having a monstrous campaign, he was crowned the league MVP.
The Heat made it to the NBA Finals and faced the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs had a big three of their own in Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. This was truly a difficult team to face for the championship. Moreover, Kawhi Leonard was also on the rise during this time as a legitimate two-way superstar.
One of the most iconic shots in NBA Finals history came in this series when Ray Allen sank the game-winning three to force overtime. James didn’t have a good performance in the clutch, but Bosh and Allen delivered. He bounced back in Game 7 and dropped 37 points and 12 rebounds to win the championship.
James was phenomenal in the entire series and averaged 25.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 7 assists, winning him his second Finals MVP and second NBA championship.
2015-16 Cavaliers
James returned to Cleveland in 2014, wanting to fulfill his promise of bringing a championship to his hometown. The Cavaliers reached the 2015 NBA Finals, but were defeated by the Warriors in six games.
The next season, the Cavaliers and Warriors faced off once again in the NBA Finals. Golden State dominated Cleveland in the first four games, bringing the lead up to 3-1. No team had ever recovered from a 3-1 deficit in Finals history.
Seeming that all hope is lost, the Cavaliers stormed back in Game 5 and 6 to force a deciding Game 7. Draymond Green‘s suspension and Andrew Bogut‘s injury played a big part here, but James was phenomenal in both of these win-or-go-home games.
In Game 7, James delivered one of the greatest NBA Finals performances of all time and dropped 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, as well as 2 steals and 3 blocks. In the same game, he also had one of the greatest defensive plays in NBA Finals history. He blocked Andre Iguodala‘s layup attempt during a fastbreak. This is also where Mike Breen delivered his iconic “Oh, what a block from James!” line.
In the end, the Cavaliers won and completed the improbable comeback. James was crowned the 2016 NBA Finals MVP after a legendary performance. He put up 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals, and 2.3 blocks throughout the series.
Out of all the LeBron James championships, this is arguably the best. First, this championship run ended Cleveland’s 52-year sports title drought. Second, they came back from a 3-1 deficit and won the NBA title. And third, this is the toughest championship he has ever won, physically and mentally. This Warriors team is one of the best teams of all time, and James had beaten them.
2019-20 Lakers
After four seasons in Cleveland, James found a new home in Los Angeles. His first season as a Laker was stellar, as he averaged 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game. However, James wasn’t fully healthy in the entire season as he played 55 games only. His absence was felt as the Lakers finished the season with a 37-45 record.
In James’ second season, the league was suspended halfway through due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then resumed in July 2020 in Orlando. Throughout the season, he averaged 25.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game on 49% shooting.
The Lakers reached the 2020 NBA Finals and faced the fifth-seeded Miami Heat. The series was pushed to six games, but the Lakers prevailed in the end. James and Davis had stellar performances throughout the Finals.
James averaged 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists throughout the six games. This earned him his fourth Finals MVP title and his fourth championship ring. Out of the four LeBron rings, this is the most controversial, as fans are labeling this championship with an asterisk. However, we can’t simply downplay the effort James and the Lakers put in that season. Yes, the circumstances are different but they made the most out of it.