The Lakers put an end to over a week of anticipation and jokes on Monday with the grand unveiling of their much-debated in-season tournament championship banner.
With a Dec. 9 win over the Pacers in Las Vegas, the Lakers staked their claim as the inaugural winner of the first-ever NBA Cup, drawing both adulation for the win and criticism over the idea of hanging a non-NBA championship banner.
Ultimately, the 16-time NBA champions decided to honor the IST championship prior to the tipoff of Monday’s home game against the Knicks. Los Angeles’s all-black banner, emblazoned with gold trim, featured the Lakers logo and a picture of the NBA Cup in the middle with 2023 on the side, leaving space for the club to add to its historic win down the line.
