On Monday, LeBron James lavished praise on colleague Anthony Davis.

During the annual media day for the Los Angeles Lakers, James spoke about Davis and referred to him as the “face of the franchise.”

“He’s the face [of the franchise],” James said to ESPN. “You look at all these [retired] numbers that surround this facility, all the greats that have come here, and AD is one of them.”

Davis signed a three-year, $186 million contract extension in the offseason, which James claimed thrilled him.

“I was very, very happy and extremely proud,” James said, according to ESPN. “It’s awesome to see him get that extension to continue to be a part of his franchise for years and years and years.” And it’s been a pleasure playing alongside him thus far, and I hope we can achieve big things.”

James and Davis have been teammates since the 2018-19 season and were important contributors to the team’s march to the 2020 NBA Championship. It’s easy to see why James was a big supporter of the Lakers getting Davis before of that season.

Davis has averaged more than 20 points per game in 10 of his 11 NBA seasons. In 2022-23, he averaged 25.9 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 56 games, his second-highest total since joining the team.

Davis is concerned about his health. However, he told ESPN that he plans to play 82 games this season and feels prepared.

James’ impact on the Lakers is also noteworthy. As he prepares for his 21st season in the NBA, the 19-time All-Star remains a powerful force, and it’s reasonable to say that he and Davis are the faces of the Lakers club at the present.