On the night LeBron James (February 7, 2023) became the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, the NBA G League captains were proud of the player they considered a mentor and a league legacy to the Lakers.
As LeBron refers to himself as ‘The Man in the Arena’, with a reminder written on the side of his shoes, he is the example that transcends the youth of the Capitanes, a team with an average age of 24, representing Mexico dreams of getting on the main map of the NBA.
Within the institution, it has become a point of pride to tell the story that gave life to the Capitanes. Owner Moises Cosio Espinosa has told how his love for the Lakers led him to gather partners, investigate the development of teams in Mexican basketball and the financial viability of what he called “a great team” from the beginning. inspired. The Mexican businessman opened a new business area in his portfolio in 2017 for this sport, which coexisted with his film projects, contemporary art and his responsibility on the Tamayo Museum and the Board of Trustees of MUAC.
There are two episodes that mark the history of the Capitanes: Falling in love with the game, for the first time on February 8, 1998, when Moisés attended the All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden, a special with Michael Jordan and Kobe Edition Bryant. Later, in 2016, already being a Lakers fan, he saw Bryant play for the last time.
“Kobe Bryant was my introduction and my passion, I still follow him (…) All his professional work ethic and how he copes with life, business, time, sports, I find it incredible,” Cosio shared in an interview for This Medium in 2018.
The brand that shook up NBA history at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles has a lot to do with the team’s philosophy.
Adriana Barron, director of communications at the Capitanes, says the atmosphere within the team was celebratory the night of LeBron’s record, with players sharing content on their social networks and when they were in Southhaven Mississippi before facing the Memphis Hustle.
Players refer to LeBron with labels such as: ethics, example, an irreplaceable player, physical strength, high game intelligence, and mindset.
_ What does LeBron James mean to you in the day-to-day sports context of your career?
“LeBron James means work, ethic, everything a player can learn personally, reference LeBron. Being 6-8 tall and being able to play 1-2-3-4-5 is on another level . It’s an inspiration I’ve seen since birth. For me, one of the five best in history”, responds Jasal Pérez, one of the Dominican prospects for the captaincy.
