LOS ANGELES (AP) -- From George Mikan to Kobe Bryant, superstars have been the Lakers' lifeblood for decades.
LeBron James is already the biggest star of his generation, and he followed a familiar path to Los Angeles' bright lights when he decided to sign with the Lakers as a free agent.
It's no coincidence that this glamorous, 16-time champion franchise has consistently attracted already great players with outsized ambition. The 33-year-old James has taken on the challenge that Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O'Neal all accepted near the primes of their careers.
Becoming a basketball superstar is one thing, and nobody is bigger than James after 15 prolific NBA seasons and three championships.