Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James had a good showing in what could possibly be his final All-Star Game. James’s future remains a major storyline heading into the regular season’s final stretch and the playoffs. Regardless of whether this is James’s final season, the discussion about his legacy continues, and his former teammate offered a bold claim.
Kendrick Perkins Says LeBron James Wasn’t Idolized by Many Young Stars
James’s former teammate, NBA champion Kendrick Perkins, made a strong claim about his influence on the younger generation, saying he isn’t idolized by many of the game’s young stars.
Perkins said, “A lot of these guys, these young stars and rising superstars, they don’t look up to LeBron anyway. So, they’re not following his footsteps. A lot of these guys looked up to Kobe. A lot of these guys come on record and talk about how they look up to Kevin Durant more so than they look up to LeBron James; they don’t idolize him.”
Kendrick Perkins says young players don’t look up to LeBron and idolize KD and Kobe more
“A lot of these guys, these young stars and rising superstars, they don’t look up to LeBron anyway. So, they’re not following his footsteps. A lot of these guys looked up to Kobe. A lot of… pic.twitter.com/Xyoc71dYLy
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 17, 2026
Perkins’s comment adds another layer to the discussion of James’s legacy. James is generally viewed as one of the two greatest players of all time, alongside Michael Jordan. Perkins’s comment suggests that even though younger players may respect James as arguably the greatest player of all time, they didn’t grow up wanting to be like him.
Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton might dispute that claim, considering he has openly stated that he idolized James as a young player and considers him the greatest of all time. James’s current Lakers teammate, Luka Dončić, has also praised James as one of his childhood idols.
However, to Perkins’s point, 2026 All-Star Game MVP Anthony Edwards openly said Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant was his favorite player growing up. Boston Celtics Star Jayson Tatum said James was an inspiration, but Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was his ultimate idol.
Then there’s James’s former teammate, nine-time All-Star Kyrie Irving. While James and Irving helped the Cleveland Cavaliers win the NBA championship in 2016, there were constant rumors about their relationship, with Irving not wanting to be viewed as James’s little brother, part of the reason he ultimately left the organization.
There may be some credibility to those rumors, considering Irving issued a public apology to James in 2019 for not valuing James’s leadership. Irving’s behavior towards James contrasts sharply with his relationship with Bryant, whom he considered a big brother and a mentor.
Another variable in this discussion is Golden State Warriors franchise player Stephen Curry. While James battled Curry for supremacy during the 2010s, a narrative emerged that young kids idolized Curry more than James.
Various NBA insiders and championship-winning coaches like Doc Rivers argued that Curry revolutionized the game and that more kids and young players identified with his deep shooting than with James’s physical dominance. Perkins’s comments indeed added more questions to James’s complicated legacy.