Watch: Lakers honor World Series Champion Dodgers at Crypto.com Arena

The 2024 World Series trophy shimmered and shined like a diamond underneath the bright lights at Crypto.com Arena on Friday night. 

Yes, you read that right. The World Series trophy was inside the house that Shaq and Kobe built, and that LeBron James and Anthony Davis currently reside. 

As the Lakers faced off the visiting Philadelphia 76ers, the sellout crowd received a sensational surprise at the end of the first quarter as members of the Los Angeles Dodgers were honored at center court with a video tribute and a standing ovation. 

As the buzzer for the end of the first quarter sounded, and the players on both teams huddled around their bench, the Lakers new video scoreboard, standing over 27-feet high, began playing highlights of the Dodgers road to the 2024 championship. 

As the video played, members of the team walked towards the Lakers logo at center court, including Chris Taylor, Brusdar Graterol, Mookie Betts, World Series MVP Freddie Freeman, and starting pitcher Jack Flaherty, who was holding the Commissioner’s Trophy for all to see. 

Fans roared, as they relived the thrill of each home run–including Freeman’s walk-off Grand Slam in Game 1–clutch play, and diving catch that led to their first title in a non-shortened season since 1988. 

Holding that coveted trophy aloft, the team soaked in every cheer and clap echoing through the arena. LeBron James, ever the legend himself, walked over to greet the players and gave Mookie Betts a big hug. 

James was on social media rooting for the Dodgers throughout the postseason and couldn’t contain his own excitement when he met the players before the game outside the Lakers locker room. 

Having the World Series Champions in the house must have helped the Lakers, as they snapped a two-game losing streak with a 116-106 victory over the Sixers.

All in all, it was a good night, one that showed just how much these two teams in particular mean to the city of Los Angeles.

The Lakers, who also won the title a few weeks before the Dodgers during the 2020 COVID pandemic, are 17-time champions themselves. For them to be able to pay respect to the Dodgers was a moment that captured the hearts of the city and its fans.

As the players left the court, it wasn’t just a Lakers game or a Dodgers celebration. It was one giant tribute to a city where championships are more than just trophies – they’re shared memories, bonds, and a sense of belonging that transcends the field or the court.

And if there’s one thing we know about Los Angeles, it’s that this night was just one chapter in a story that keeps getting better. The Dodgers’ road to the World Series may have ended, but the legacy? 

That’s just the beginning.