LeBron retirement: Will Aaron Donald take over as LA’s biggest star?

[ad_1]

When it comes to the city of Los Angeles and its sports, the city is all about its stars. For the Los Angeles Rams, it doesn’t come much bigger than Aaron Donald. Donald has been the face of the Rams franchise since arriving in LA, winning three Defensive Player of the Year Awards.

However, while Donald is the reality of the Rams and football in Los Angeles, LeBron James is hard to beat. Both players are among the all-time greats in their sport, but James global brand and ability to control the 24/7 sports talk media cycle, is very hard to match.

This past week, the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from postseason contention when they were swept by the Denver Nuggets. While the series will be remembered as a sweep, it was just a series where the Nuggets went late and the Lakers went cold.

At age 38, retirement will always be a major talking point this offseason for LeBron. However, the Lakers star didn’t exactly put the retirement rumors to rest after the game. James said,

I have a lot to think about. Personally, as I progress in the game of basketball, I have a lot to think about.

Then TNT’s Chris Hayes reported that retirement for LeBron is not completely out of the question.

It’s worth noting that LeBron said he wants to play a season with his son. Bronny James is not eligible to enter the NBA until 2024 which means LeBron James has to play two more seasons. However, after his latest comments, that may be more up in the air.

If LeBron were to retire, it would likely make Aaron Donald Los Angeles’ biggest sports star. The Rams defensive star will certainly have a case. The next names that come to mind are Justin Herbert, Anthony Davis, and Shohei Ohtani.

Davis has played second-fiddle to LeBron since joining the Lakers. If James retires, Davis will have a chance to show that he can be a central player and number one star for a team. Right now, he has yet to prove that.

Ohtani has become one of baseball’s biggest stars. While he may be the biggest star in baseball right now, playing for The Angels has dampened his overall brand. If Ohtani was playing with the Dodgers, he would be even bigger than he is. Ohtani has a good case, but it’s hard not to say that MLB and the Angels are holding him back.

Donald and Herbert are left behind.

Like the Clippers and Angeles, the Chargers will always play second-fiddle to the Rams no matter how good they are or how good they are. After just one season in Los Angeles and after winning the Super Bowl, Matthew Stafford is the sixth highest selling jersey in the NFL for the 2021 season. Despite being one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL, Herbert was ranked outside the top-10 at number 12 last season. For Herbert to make a significant jump, he needs an MVP-caliber season that includes a deep playoff run.

As of the end of the 2021 season, Donald ranks 26th in player sales according to the NFLPA. However, following the Super Bowl between March and May of 2022, Donald ranked as high as five which for a defensive player is very high.

If LeBron James retires, Los Angeles’ number one sports star will be on the line. Given Donalds’ legacy as one of the best defensive players in NFL history, he could be the one to take over.

[ad_2]