LeBron James Calls Out Lakers: 'We're Not a Championship Team'

Lakers fall to Thunder as James questions his team's ability to compete with the defending champs

Feb. 10, 2026 at 8:31am

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LeBron James was blunt in his assessment of the Los Angeles Lakers after they lost 119-110 to the Oklahoma City Thunder, saying the Lakers "are not a championship team" compared to the defending NBA champions. The Lakers led late in the fourth quarter but were unable to hold on as the Thunder closed the game on a 21-11 run. James scored 14 of his 22 points in the second half, but the Lakers' defense struggled to contain the Thunder's supporting cast with stars Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined by injuries.

Why it matters

The loss raises questions about the Lakers' ability to compete with the NBA's elite teams, especially the defending champion Thunder, as they try to make a deep playoff run. James' blunt assessment of his team's shortcomings highlights the need for the Lakers to improve their consistency and execution in order to be considered a true championship contender.

The details

The Lakers led 99-98 with 7:24 remaining, but the Thunder closed the game on a 21-11 run keyed by Jalen Williams, who scored 10 points in the final five minutes. The Lakers struggled to match the Thunder's energy and effort level for the full 48 minutes, an issue that James pointed to as a key difference between the two teams.

  • The Lakers and Thunder played on Monday, February 10, 2026.
  • Luka Doncic missed his second straight game with a mild hamstring strain.
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be out through the All-Star Game this weekend in Inglewood, California due to an abdominal injury.

The players

LeBron James

A 38-year-old forward for the Los Angeles Lakers who is one of the greatest players in NBA history.

Jalen Williams

A 23-year-old forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder who scored 10 points in the final five minutes to help the Thunder close out the win.

Luka Doncic

The NBA's leading scorer who missed the game due to a mild hamstring strain.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The reigning NBA MVP who will miss the All-Star Game this weekend due to an abdominal injury.

JJ Redick

The head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.

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What they’re saying

“You want me to compare us to them? That's a championship team right there. We're not. We can't sustain energy and effort for 48 minutes, and they can. That's why they won a championship.”

— LeBron James

“I think when you play the best teams -- and Oklahoma City is clearly -- you know, you have to have a really high level of effort and you have to have a really high level of execution. It's got to be both, and I thought for the most part our effort was fantastic. In key stretches of the game, our execution wasn't great.”

— JJ Redick, Lakers Head Coach

What’s next

The Lakers will look to bounce back before the All-Star break, while the Thunder will try to maintain their position atop the NBA standings with Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined.

The takeaway

LeBron James' blunt assessment of the Lakers highlights the team's struggles to match the energy and execution of the league's elite teams, raising questions about their championship aspirations. The loss underscores the need for the Lakers to improve their consistency and find ways to win against top contenders like the Thunder.