76ers president Daryl Morey questions the legitimacy of Lakers’ 2020 bubble championship win

The Los Angeles Lakers’ last National Basketball Association (NBA) championship win came during the COVID-affected 2019–2020 season, a year when the league was heavily impacted by the pandemic and suspended twice.

NBA fans around the world continue to debate whether the Lakers’ title win during the so-called “bubble” season should be considered legitimate, given the unusual circumstances. Some argue that league records from that season shouldn’t count due to the disruptions.

Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey, is among those who share that sentiment. In a recent interview with The Athletic, he claimed that the 2020 championship wasn’t genuine.

Sixers President Daryl Morey kept it real about the Lakers’ 2020 championship in the bubble 👀

(via The Athletic) pic.twitter.com/Q7JYdtVJsn

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 30, 2025

“Yet, everyone I speak to around the league privately agrees that it doesn’t truly hold up as a genuine championship. Perhaps the lasting legacy of the NBA bubble is that the NBA should be proud of its leadership at both the beginning and end of the pandemic, even though the champion will forever be marked by an asterisk,” Morey said.

However, others argue that the NBA bubble was actually one of the most challenging environments in league history. They believe that any team winning under such intense mental and physical strain deserves full credit. Players and coaches were isolated for weeks, unable to return home, subjected to daily COVID-19 testing, and confined to their hotel rooms except when playing.

The Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 4–2 in the 2020 NBA Finals, securing their 17th NBA championship and the fourth title for LeBron James.

Morey’s remarks could be seen as a subtle jab at the Lakers, especially considering that the 76ers have not been serious title contenders for years, last reaching the conference finals in 2001.

Many players who gave their all during that season would likely disagree with Morey’s take—particularly Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award that year.

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