The Los Angeles Lakers won their 17th NBA championship game on Sunday, Oct. 11 against the Miami Heat in Florida with a score of 106-93. It was a tough game and season for both teams and their spectators. Speeches were given by the Lakers staff, athletes, and representatives that moved the audience, especially touching the hearts of Angelinos.

Rachel Spinosa, a senior on Downey High School’s varsity girls basketball team, watched the game with excitement that Sunday night. She was overjoyed when the Lakers came out victorious and said it was an incredibly special game for her. Spinosa felt a wave of inspiration and optimism for herself and the country. It really affected her personally because it was like a light at the end of the tunnel. The unprecedented events of 2020 have thrown many people off track and she believes this is something that can inspire others with faith that they can make it through.

“The Lakers winning gives me that hope that we as a nation will persevere through this tough time and make it victorious. The Lakers didn’t make it to playoffs for several years after being a winning franchise, yet they came back and won a championship,” Spinosa said. “As a Laker fan, this win was more than just a win on the court, but a win our city needed.”

Downey High’s varsity sophomore girls basketball athlete, Alexis Price, believes that the championship win was impactful for the people and players due to Kobe and Gianna Bryant’s passing last January. She saw both of them as great role models for her sports career and personal life. The Lakers’ win was a comforting reassurance for her and many others that the basketball idols will never be forgotten.

Price said, “I was rooting for them because they worked hard for the last two years and won for our beloved Kobe and Gianna. Their loss was such a tragedy to the basketball community and country, I think it’s only fair they were the winners.”

Samuel Fernandez, a sophomore Lakers fan at Downey High School said he feels that the team has represented the city and people of Los Angeles in the best way possible. Fernandez feels extremely proud of the Lakers and their hard work. He said that growing up watching the Lakers was always very special to him and their wins are always something to look forward to, however, with this year’s current events, it’s a different experience. Not being able to watch the game with his friends and relatives was a bummer for Fernandez, but he enjoyed it just as much.

“Our Lakers brought back hope to Los Angeles,” Fernandez said. “Knowing that they did it for Kobe and all of us here in Los Angeles makes me so happy. It’s moments like these that make me feel this sense of pride of where I’m from.”

It’s always a special feeling when someone’s hometown wins a big sporting event because they represent where they are from. The Lakers winning was especially meaningful this year because of the passing of Kobe and Gianna Bryant in January and the Covid-19 pandemic. Not only was it sentimental for Angelinos, but the entire nation. The Bryant’s passing were mourned by people nationwide, the victory was nostalgic. Many have experienced hardships due to the pandemic and spectating the game brought a happy, whole-hearted moment to cherish.