Unless you live underground, you've definitely heard of the Lakers. What you may not know is how the Lakers got started and how they grew into one of the most iconic teams in NBA history. We're going to detail some things about the Lakers that even the most diehard fans may not know. We will take you from the beginning of the Los Angeles Lakers to the present, share information about the star players in the history of the team, reveal the secrets of the Lakers star fans, including other interesting facts and Lakers trivia, which will definitely give you a new understanding of the Lakers!
Begin...
First of all, it is important to get some key things straight. The Los Angeles Lakers were not the Los Angeles Lakers they are now. In fact, it all started in 1947, when Ben Berg and Maurice Chalfin bought the Detroit Gems franchise from the National Basketball League for just $15,000. From there, they brought in John Kundera as their first head coach, moved the team to Minneapolis, and gave the team a shiny new name: the Lakers. The name derives from the alias of Minnesota, which, in case you didn't know, means "Land of Ten Thousand Lakes." The Lakers selected George McCann, who helped the team reach the top in its first season, and McCann became one of the greatest centers in basketball history. After winning the championship in 1948, they switched to the American Basketball Association (BAA). The Lakers also won the championship under McCann in 1948.
Anecdote
The NBA, the largest nationally recognized basketball league in the United States, does not recognize the games the Lakers won as an NBL team in 1948; However, their championship won as part of the BAA in 1949 was recognized by the NBA as the official championship. So, if you look at NBA records, the Lakers are considered an expansion team in 1949, and that team was actually founded two years ago.
After winning multiple championships, the Lakers' situation began to deteriorate and for several years it was at a low point. In 1958, their luck changed when they selected future Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor and returned to the championship. They faced the Celtics and were swept in four series — a coincidental opening up a confrontation between the Lakers and the Celtics' giants.
The following year, after seeing other teams move to the West Coast for success, the Lakers moved from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. With this move, the Lakers also selected LOGO man Jerry West as their point guard and Fred Scours as coach.
LOGOS
The Lakers' logo hasn't changed much since the '40s. The biggest upgrade to the logo came when they moved from Minneapolis to Los Angeles.
The Lakers' original logo was a golden star, a basketball and Minnesota. The colors of the uniforms are gold and blue
When he landed in Los Angeles in 1960, the background of the new emblem was a dark yellow basketball with the words "Los Angeles Lakers" written in all purple capital letters in front of the ball.
Brighter colors were added in 1976. The new logo adds an orange-yellow basketball to the background and adjusts the previous font to light purple.
The Lakers' current logo (which was introduced in 2001) is obviously more modern than its predecessor, but the basic theme is the same.
gym
While they were in Minneapolis, the Lakers played at the Minneapolis Auditorium; However, when the team moved to Los Angeles, they played on Forum Ball. The square is now a historical attraction, designed to resemble the Colosseum, where part of the 1984 Olympic Games was also held. In 1999, the Lakers made their home at the Staples Center, where they still play.
Famous fans
With the star power on the court and a team from star-studded Los Angeles, it's no surprise that the Lakers have a host of famous fans. Celebrities like Ace Cooper, Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise, Vanessa Huggins and Denzel Washington have often appeared on the Lakers' game scene in previous seasons.
Lakers retired Hall of Famer (jersey number)
Kobe Bryant (No. 8, No. 24), Shark O'Neill (34) James Worthy (42), Magic Johnson (32), Gal Goodrich (25), Skyhook Abdul-Jabbar (33), Jerry West (44), Wilt Chamberlain (No. 13), Elgin Baylor (22), Jamal Wilkes (52)
In addition to the 11 retired jersey numbers, 27 former Lakers players have been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. These rankings include most of the players above, such as 14-year Lakers veteran Jerry West (27.0 points per game) and 12-time NBA All-Star Magic Johnson.
Hitherto...
The Los Angeles Lakers are still a famous basketball team today. They have won 17 NBA championships since 1949, most recently in 2020. Even though it's been a decade since the Lakers last won the championship, they are still considered a very successful basketball team, with some famous fans cheering them on.
In the '80s, the Lakers earned the nickname "Show Time" for Magic Johnson and his impressive fast-offense offense. The Showtime Lakers also invited Hall of Famer Karim Abdul-Jabbar.
In 2000, Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant ruled the NBA and won three consecutive championships, known as the "triple in a row." After winning championships in 2009 and 2010, the team almost won three consecutive titles again in 2011, but unfortunately, they did not go on to win championships that year.
In 2018, LeBron James — arguably the greatest player in history — joined the Lakers as a free agent. After a year of injury-plagued slumps, the Lakers got Anthony Davis. In 2020, the dynamic duo led the Lakers to defeat the Miami Heat to their 17th championship.
The Lakers are undoubtedly one of the most famous and popular teams in all sports.