LeBron James brings back #WashedKing moniker after anonymous executives say he is not the best player in NBA

One of the lasting jokes and memes about “The Last Dance” was Michael Jordan’s ability to take any possible small dig personally, and turn those slights into the motivation to destroy his opponents.

What’s quickly become apparent is that trait runs in most NBA greats, very notably including LeBron James. While the debate between Jordan and James almost exclusively revolves around on-court performance, their ability to take things personally off the court is equally comparable.

On Thursday, Tim Bontemps of ESPN released an article asking 10 anonymous NBA scouts and executives a number of questions, including “Who is the best player in the NBA heading into the 2021-22 season?” Five of the votes went to Giannis Antetokounmpo and five votes went to Kevin Durant.

Because those 10 people did not give a single vote to him, James took to Twitter to revive the #WashedKing moniker.

He also made sure his Instagram followers knew what he thought of those anonymous critics:

This isn’t the only stuff he’s annoyed by, either. He has already expressed his anger about how the media has portrayed him and his old — or experienced veteran — teammates.

The good news for Lakers fans is that the first time James birthed the #WashedKing nickname, it eventually led to him winning a title inside the bubble, taking home another Finals MVP and demanding he gets his “damn respect.” If that “Washed” form of The King makes an appearance this season, the Lakers will be set.

But hey, he is hardly the first old guy to voice a variety of generalized complaints. As James continues to get older, we probably have to expect this.

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