Lakers LeBron James on His Legacy: It Will Be Told the Way It Should Be Told

Despite being one game away from his fourth NBA title in his 10th Finals appearance, LeBron James isn't focused on his legacy. 

"I don't think about it much," he said, per USA Today's Mark Medina. "It will be told the way it's supposed to be told." 

Often compared to Michael Jordan (six titles, five MVP awards) in arguments about who is the greatest NBA player, James' 10th Finals appearance is tied for third all-time with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and the pair sit behind Sam Jones (11) and Bill Russell (12). 

Through a 17-year career, James certainly has enough accolades to cement himself among the greats, with 16 All-Star Game nods, three of which resulted in an MVP nod, six All-Defensive team honors, and a Rookie of the Year award to get things started off. As of late, what he has accomplished in Los Angeles is perhaps more telling. 

After a groin injury limited his first year with the Lakers, a team with James on it missed the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Under a new coach in Frank Vogel, James switched positions and sacrificed his identity as the leading scorer to take over the league in a new category—assists. 

It's certainly a departure from comments James has made in the past. In 2014, he said he would appear on the Mount Rushmore of NBA greats: 

"I'm going to be one of the top four that's ever played this game, for sure," he said, according to ESPN. "And if they don't want me to have one of those top four spots, they'd better find another spot on that mountain. Somebody's gotta get bumped, but that's not for me to decide. That's for the architects."

With a chance to win another title coming in Game 5 against the Heat (Friday at 9 p.m. ET), James will only add to his footprint on the history of the NBA, whether he's concerned about it or not.