Lakers' LeBron James Hypes Anthony Davis as 'Face' of the Franchise

LeBron James had quite the compliment for teammate Anthony Davis on Monday.

During the Los Angeles Lakers' annual media day, James spoke about Davis and called him the "face of the franchise."

"He is the face [of the franchise]," James told ESPN. "You look at all these [retired] numbers that surround this facility, all the greats that have come here, and AD is one of them."

Davis signed a three-year, $186 million contract extension in the offseason and James said he was pleased with this development.

"I was very, very happy and extremely proud," James told ESPN. "It's super dope to see him get that extension to be a part of his franchise for years and years and years. And it's been a treat so far playing alongside of him and I hope we can do some great things."

James and Davis have been teammates since the 2018-19 season and were the key drivers in the team's 2020 NBA Championship run. James was a major proponent for the Lakers acquiring Davis ahead of that season, and it's easy to see why.

Davis has averaged more than 20 points a game in 10 of his 11 seasons in the NBA. He averaged 25.9 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 56 games in 2022-23, which was the second-highest games played total he has had since joining the team.

The concern with Davis is health. However, he told ESPN that he aims to play 82 games this season and feels ready for the upcoming season.

James' impact on the Lakers is equally notable. The 19-time All-Star is still a dominant force as he prepares for his 21st season in the league, and it's safe to say that he and Davis together are the faces of the Lakers franchise at the moment.