LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers navigated uncharted territory during the NBA bubble in Orlando, Florida, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the fruit of the struggle was the sweetest, James’ former teammate Kyle Kuzma has shared his experience living and playing during the roughly 100-day quarantine at the Walt Disney World resort.
LeBron James’ Ex-Teammate Reveals How NBA Bubble Grind Powered Lakers’ 2020 Title Run
During his appearance on “No Chill with Gilbert Arenas” in 2021, Kuzma reflected on life inside the Disney campus during the pandemic. Players had to spend nearly three months confined to hotel quarters, navigating strict health protocols and limited movement, while competing for a shared title dream.
The 31-year-old pointed out that while the restrictive setup felt grueling for many teams, the Lakers’ roster used it to their advantage. They embraced the mental hurdle and stayed locked in on their championship dream.
”It was hard just being there. Like, being in a bubble, that’s not our lifestyle,” said Kuzma. “We like to be extremely comfortable when we’re not on the court. You wanna be home, you wanna be chilling, in your house, on your nice sofa, watching a movie. That’s what you wanna do.”
“You don’t wanna be in Mickey Mouse’s house, in 300 square feet, for three months. Like, that’s crazy. We like to call it a prison for athletes. That’s what it was. Nobody could leave, nothing.”
Led by LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Kuzma, the Lakers posted a 52-19 regular-season record and a dominant postseason run during the 2020 playoffs to clinch their 17th title.
A video of the podcast resurfaced on social media on Sunday, and Kuzma also shared his thoughts on the Lakers’ championship run.
“Here’s my perspective on how NBA players took the bubble. We won we had a [expletive] BALL! lol… No NBA player is booking a 3-star hotel, at least not while they’re playing, and it was miserable for basically every team. That’s part of why it was kind of easy to win, in a sense: once you could see the end of the tunnel, you wanted out as fast as possible,” Kuzma wrote on X.
“We were fortunate. The Lakeshow actually wanted to be there, and that’s how we did it so seamlessly. They knew we were going to win. Guys tried to shut the whole thing down after a few weeks. It was exhausting being in there,” he added.
Here’s my perspective on how NBA players took the bubble. We won we had a effing BALL! lol… No NBA player is booking a 3-star hotel, at least not while they’re playing, and it was miserable for basically every team. That’s part of why it was kind of easy to win, in a sense: once…
— kuz (@kylekuzma) August 17, 2026
During the 2019-20 season, Kuzma averaged 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists across 61 regular-season games, shooting 43.6% from the field and 31.6% from beyond the arc. He followed that with 10.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game in the playoffs.
The 2020 season remains a unique and defining chapter in NBA history, one that tested the resilience and adaptability of every athlete involved. The Lakers overcame isolation and mental fatigue, channeling the negatives into structuring their championship path.
