“LeBron was and ANT will be soon” - George Karl doubles down on ‘superstar’ take, questions 2x MVP’s status
Former NBA coach George Karl shared his opinion on the NBA players who currently qualify as 'superstars' in the league. Doubling down on his previous take that LeBron James is not a superstar anymore, Karl posted on X (formerly Twitter) that there are currently fewer than 10 superstars in the league.
The Hall of Fame coach lists Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, and Joel Embiid as the current superstars in the league. Karl also highlighted that Anthony Edwards would soon join the category, while 2X MVP Steph Curry's status was deemed questionable by him.
"There are less than 10 superstars in the League today. They are Joker, Luka, SGA, GA, Tatum, Joel and maybe still Steph. LeBron was and ANT ( Anthony Edwards) will be soon. That’s it," Karl tweeted.
George Karl had previously dismissed LeBron James as no longer a superstar while advising the LA Lakers, as they look for a new head coach after firing Darvin Ham.
"I’ll give the Lakers' coaching search committee free advice today. LeBron isn’t a superstar anymore and AD will never be one," Karl said. "Now, be sure to use those truths when evaluating candidates and you might select someone you keep for longer than two seasons."
George Karl criticizes the Lakers for firing Darvin Ham
In a much-anticipated move, the LA Lakers fired their head coach of two years, Darvin Ham, after the team was eliminated by the Denver Nuggets 4-1 in the first-round series of the 2024 NBA playoffs.
George Karl slammed the Lakers for scapegoating Ham for the season and also called out the team's tendency to switch head coaches frequently.
"Great organizations have systematic accountability, consistency and don’t scapegoat individuals, especially those whose responsibility is limited. The Lakers have had 7 coaches in the last 15 years. None have survived more than two seasons. That’s not a recipe for greatness," Karl said.
George Karl also claimed that the Lakers' 2020 NBA championship did not count, as it was won under the bubble league during the pandemic.
"The Lakers will be more successful going fwd when they acknowledge the only championship they won since Phil left doesn’t count and they’ve been unstable for 15 years," Karl posted on X.
The Lakers' shortlisted candidates to be Darvin Ham's successor reportedly include JJ Redick, Chris Quinn, James Borrego, Sam Cassell, Kenny Atkinson, David Adelman, Micah Nori and Sean Sweeney. The organization will likely go through a lengthy selection process before finalizing its new coach.