LOS ANGELES — Joe Burwick, a 40-year-old accountant, was standing outside Crypto.com Arena several hours before Tuesday night’s Los Angeles Lakers game and wearing a LeBron James jersey. He made the impulsive decision just days before to fly from Buffalo to attend the game. His ticket cost $1,000.
Standing inches from a statue of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Burwick said he had to be there “to see the king break the record.”
Not because he cares about the Lakers per se. But because he’s a LeBron guy. He used to be a Michael Jordan guy. But he’s a LeBron guy now — in his words, “a reformed Jordanite.”
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” Burwick said. “I’m 40 years old, and the chances of this being broken before I die are slim to none.”