Greatest Los Angeles Lakers Ever – Top 10 Legends
5. Jerry West
The Logo himself, Jerry West, is sometimes overlooked when the subject of the greatest Lakers of all time comes up, and that is unfair. In over 40 years of service as a player, coach, and executive, West left an everlasting impact on the Lakers. Though West won just one title in 1972, it was because he constantly was running into a Boston Celtics team that won nine titles in the 1960s.
West managed to make the All-Star Game every season of his career (14 times), he was the scoring champion in 1969-70, and he became the only player in league history to win Finals MVP despite losing the series (1969). If he happened to win a few more rings during his time with the Lakers, it is possible that he would receive even more recognition for the phenomenal playing career he had.
He currently ranks 2nd in points and 3rd in assists in franchise history, but his influence on the Lakers can’t just be measured by numbers. He is as responsible as anyone for the success the Lakers have had over the years.
4. Shaquille O’Neal
Shaw was a player of sheer brute force. He was dominant in the paint because he was simply just too big to handle. People simply got out of the way when the Diesel was around – and if they got in his way, he posterized them. Shaq admitted once that he never wanted to be the “greatest ever,” but he wanted to be the “most dominant.” For a stretch of time, that’s exactly what he was – and his three Laker titles and three Finals MVPs are proof.
It is quite possible that one may never again see a player with O’Neal’s combination of strength, skill, and basketball IQ. It is interesting to think about if the Lakers would have more titles than they do now if Shaq decided not to request a trade to the Miami Heat in the summer of 2004.
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem may have had his best seasons during the earlier part of his career as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. But he was still an elite talent during his days with the Lakers. He was fundamentally sound and because of his style of play he was able to sustain 20 years of NBA basketball.
The man who was unstoppable offensively due to his patented sky hook made the All-Star Game 13 times with the purple and gold, and he won three MVPs.
Abdul-Jabbar also won five championships in LA playing alongside Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and the rest of the Showtime Lakers. The Lakers would not have been the dynasty they were in the 1980s without Abdul-Jabbar’s steady production over the years, even as he approached his 40s.
Kareem Abdul – Jabbar did not just play basketball he studied the game of basketball. Every move was strategic and calculated. The game to him was an exercise in discipline and required his devoted attention. He once stated to the LA Times, “Take the time to know what you’re doing and have some commitment to it.” It was his commitment to excellence that allowed his wealth of talent to reach the magnitude of success that it did.