The Los Angeles Lakers ended a decade-long wait for a 17th NBA title as they beat the Miami Heat 106-93 to seal a 4-2 series victory. Photo: Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times

The Finals' Most Valuable Player (MVP) LeBron R. James, left, posted a triple double - scoring 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists - with both Anthony M. Davis, right, and Rajon P. Rondo adding 19 points. Photo: Twitter

MVP of the 2016 Hon Julian Fraser Save the Seed League, Steve E. Parillon said he was backing Los Angeles Lakers to win the 2020 NBA Finals since he is a die-hard Lebron R. James fan. Photo: File

Ray D. Victor, seen here with Nicols Charles, left, and Rowan Victor, right, of Pure Playaz after winning the 2019 Hon Julian Fraser Save the Seed National Basketball League in November 2019, said he had wanted underdogs Miami Heat to win the 2020 NBA Finals. Photo: VINO/File

The Los Angeles Lakers celebrate after winning the 2020 NBA Championship in Game Six on Sunday in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Photo: Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images

The Finals' Most Valuable Player (MVP) LeBron R. James posted a triple double - scoring 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists - with both Anthony M. Davis and Rajon P. Rondo adding 19 points.

James became the first player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP with three different teams (Lakers, Cavaliers and Heat). Now with four MVPs to his name, he trails only Michael J. Jordan, who won six.

Victory ties the Lakers with the Boston Celtics for the most NBA championships.

The title for the Lakers also comes in a year in which they lost one of their greats - Kobe B. Bryant.

The five-time NBA champion, who spent his entire career with the Lakers and led them to their last NBA title in 2010, was killed in a helicopter crash in January alongside his daughter Gianna.

Lakers were ‘too talented’ for Heat- Steve E. Parillon

VINO reached out to a few of the local basketball players for their reaction.

Steve E. Parillon, who certainly knows what it feels like to win championships locally, said it was “really great to be able to watch some NBA basketball although it was in the bubble during this pandemic time when sports was on pause for a bit.”

Parillon said he was rooting for the Los Angeles Lakers since he is a LeBron fan “so wherever LeBron goes I back that team.”

According to the experienced basketball player, the Miami Heat was a resilient team and they fought hard, which made it a competitive series “but the Lakers were really too stacked and too talented for Miami and it showed last night. Miami Heat were unable to put two consecutive games of challenging the Lakers.”

For the ‘haters’

Parillon also said he was happy for LeBron R. James because, according to him, the NBA player has a lot of haters and “I honestly know what it feels like to conquer stuff despite having a lot of haters...”

The veteran player noted that he misses playing basketball and hopes to be in action sooner rather than later.

“Save the Seed [basketball] would have been going on right now but unfortunately because of the pandemic it’s on pause, so I can’t wait to get back on the court. As a basketball player it makes you feel and want to get out there and play but I understand what is going on in the world and we have to live with it.”

The Virgin Islands last had a taste of basketball when Parillon promoted a ‘King of the Courts Championships’ at Multi-Purpose Sports Complex on Saturday, June 20, 2020.

Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1), who was crowned ‘King of Celebrity Shootout’ also in June, said today, October 12, 2020, that he is a Boston Celtics fan but was tied to the Lakers for this championships due to his support for Rajon P. Rondo.

James took full control- Ray D. Victor

Meanwhile, top basketball player and talisman for the reigning Hon Julian Fraser Save the Seed Tournament Champions, Pure Playaz, Ray D. Victor, said he was supporting the Miami Heat due to them being the underdogs.

Looking back at the deciding match, Victor said James took the game into his own hands and controlled the outcome in game 6. “He was very aggressive and he carried his team to the championship. He led and his ream followed by being aggressive.”

When will local basketball return?

Asked how he has been coping with the absence of basketball for a while now, Victor admitted he has not been managing well.

“This will be going on my second year without competitive basketball and no chance to add to my championships. I’ve been trying to stay in shape but it’s getting harder as I’m getting older,” Victor related.

Meanwhile, our newsroom tried to get a comment from President of the BVI Basketball Federation, Mr Derrick R. Varlack on what is the plan for basketball in the near future; however, no response was received up to time of publication.