Returning to an arena that once respected and embraced you isn’t always a pleasant experience in the NBA. Kawhi Leonard’s returns to San Antonio were anything but peaceful after he left in 2018. The jeering went on for years, until legendary coach Gregg Popovich finally asked the fans to “show a little class.” Now, a similar concern looms for a certain 41-year-old legend when he returns to Crypto.com Arena.

(Unless injured) LeBron James is slated to face the Los Angeles Lakers in a home game on Christmas Day. And honestly, no one is quite sure how that return is going to play out. Yes, James won a ring in LA, but that was years ago. Still, that doesn’t seem to matter to Lakers Showtime legend Magic Johnson, who has James’ back and is already urging fans to behave.

“They should treat him great. He was there,” Johnson told TMZ Sports. Another fan asked if the locals should welcome James with a lot of cheers. “Of course, of course,” Magic immediately added while signing a few autographs.

Magic has been a longtime supporter of James and even played a major role in recruiting him to the Lakers in 2018. He was the franchise’s President of Basketball Operations at the time and arrived an hour early for his meeting with James at the star’s California home!

The NBA legend later revealed that he never brought up the Lakers’ legacy because James already knew how many titles the franchise had won. Instead, Magic opted to “talk [freely] to each other and talk basketball” without any formal barriers. The two connected instantly, and Rob Pelinka received a phone call from Rich Paul the very next day: James wanted to be a Laker.

But about a year later, Magic stepped down from his front-office role without even telling LeBron, who found out through someone else. The Akron Hammer later called the whole ordeal “weird” while reflecting on the bond they had shared. Magic eventually admitted that leaving the Lakers over a difference in vision with the front office was fine, but he “regretted” not calling James himself.

However, the two of them still maintained a brotherly relationship. Back in 2022, when he passed Magic for the sixth all-time mark in assists, James called it “an honor” to carry on the Showtime-era legend’s legacy.

That mutual respect continues between them to this day. In fact, when James announced that he’d be leaving the Lakers after an eight-year run, Magic dropped quite an emotional write-up on X.

“I want to thank LeBron James and his super agent Rich Paul for taking a meeting with me back in 2018 when I was President of the Lakers and deciding to sign with us,” Johnson wrote. “He created a whole new era for the Lakers, including leading us to an NBA Championship in 2020 and all the milestones he surpassed in a Lakers jersey. I’ll always love and be grateful for him and wish him all the best in the next phase of his life, on and off the court!”

James helped the LA team make six playoffs. He played a pivotal role in the team’s 2019-20 title run. But over time, as Luka Doncic arrived, LeBron James went from being the team’s first option to the second and eventually the third. Still, the King adjusted to his changing role.

During the 2026 playoffs, with both Doncic and Austin Reaves sidelined by injuries, LeBron took the reins against the Houston Rockets. He helped the Lakers advance to the second round, averaging 23.2 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.2 rebounds across six games.

Well, LeBron James now has a new identity as a Sixer. But he has earned a special place in Lakers history after guiding the team to the 2020 Bubble championship. The achievement became even more meaningful given the circumstances surrounding that season.

James also etched his name into the franchise record books multiple times. He ranks No. 5 in assists, No. 10 in points, No. 2 in triple-doubles, and No. 7 in defensive rebounds. Interestingly, LeBron and Kobe Bryant are the only Lakers to make over 1,000 three-pointers for the franchise. That’s not all; James also broke the all-time scoring record in 2023 in the Lakers jersey.

The Akron Hammer, now with Philly, will face the Purple and Gold on Christmas. And to be fair, Lakers fans might have endless reasons to show their teeth to the 76ers. That seems only natural. However, if they boo LeBron on his return, that might feel like disrespect to the legacy he has left behind in LA. Johnson clearly does not want that to happen.

We’re also quite sure that neither Luka Doncic nor Austin Reaves would want their home crowd booing James. Despite ESPN reports suggesting the 41-year-old hadn’t felt valued in the locker room for months, there was never any real animosity between LA’s attacking trio. In fact, James admitted in his final interview as a Laker that he enjoyed playing as the third option for the first time in his career.