New LeBron James mural featuring Lakers legends vandalized

LOS ANGELES -- A second LeBron James Lakers mural has been defaced by a vandal this month in Los Angeles.

The latest mural of James was of the newest Lakers star looking up at other Lakers legends like Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain above the two historic venues the Lakers have played at in Staples Center and The Great Western Forum.

Gustavo Zermeno, the Los Angeles muralist and lifelong Lakers fan who put up the mural, said the message of the mural was that James was coming to the Lakers with respect and understanding of the legends he is following. With the image of James looking up to former Lakers stars, Zermeno hoped the message of the art would keep vandals and haters from hitting it.

But someone poured white paint over the top of James' image late Friday night. On Saturday morning, Zermeno returned to fix the vandalism and he said about "40-to-50" Lakers fans stopped by and helped him repaint James' Lakers jersey. The artist said he did not know who defaced his art or why.

"I am surprised," Zermeno told ESPN about his art being vandalized. "This is the most positive move for the Lakers in the past five or six years. It is really a surprise that people are upset about LeBron. I don't understand it."

"[The message of the mural was to] just show LeBron paying homage to not only past Lakers legends but the whole organization. Him showing up to the Lakers and knowing he has some big shoes to fill."

Zermeno, with the help of five of his friends, spent five days and a total 45 hours working on the mural near Melrose and Fairfax in Los Angeles. He has produced other Lakers murals, including another of James and ones of Bryant.

Earlier in the month, local muralist Jonas Never produced artwork featuring James in a Los Angeles Lakers jersey with the message "King of LA" on a wall at the Baby Blues BBQ restaurant in Venice. The mural was first vandalized with someone spray-painting "We Don't Want You," "No King" and "3-6" on it in apparent reference to James' record in the NBA Finals.

Never fixed it and took "of" out of the "King of LA" message. Still, the mural was defaced again with someone splattering yellow paint James. Never decided to paint over the entire mural with white paint instead of spending more time trying to fix it.

"I thought I had learned a long time ago to never touch religion or politics," Never, the Los Angeles-based muralist who has also designed murals of the late Anthony Bourdain and Stuart Scott among many others, told ESPN.

"I guess it is never touch religion, politics or anyone against Kobe," Never cracked.

Zermeno was thrilled to see Lakers fans stop by and help him on Saturday.

"It is one of those things that we come together," he said. "Lakers fans all together. We are not going to let the haters win."