Style - Kicks and Gear / Jun 18, 2009 / 10:54 am
Win A Lakers Fitted From Mitchell & Ness Today!
In honor of the Lakers winning the chip, our boys over at Mitchell & Ness sent us these Lakers fitteds in 7 3/8. If you want to get your hands on these, you have to answer the following:
Who is your favorite Laker all-time and why?
Whoever has the best answers will win, so check back later today to see…
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June 18th, 2009 at 11:01 am
QQ says:
LA = Cheating ASS Bitches = Classless FUCKS.
Orlando For Life!!
June 18th, 2009 at 11:02 am
JayTea says:
Has to be MJ. The ORIGINAL MJ. I grew up in LA and the Lakers were pretty much off the map until Majic showed up. He not only revitalized the team but he and Bird ushered in a new era in the NBA. This one quote from Chick
Hearn that was uttered hundreds of times during Magic’s career sums it all up for me: “No look from Magic”
We used to love rolling into the 4th down by 5 or 6 cause you just knew there was going to be some great basketball orchestrated by the most exciting player to have ever come along.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:02 am
rkirby says:
magic johnson- not only did he win five championships. he (and bird) brought a charisma to the game of basketball that had never been seen before. He was the ultimate teammate and showman on the court, and a great personality off the court, arguably the best point guard of all time (although I think John Stockton is somewhat underrated), and arguably the greatest Laker of all time.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:07 am
bballinca says:
It’s Michael Cooper. He exemplied toughness, playing with heart, hustle, defense and a team player. He would always guard the opposing teams best offensive player. (He is still a highlight for Dr. J’s nasty dunk) But at least he wasn’t afraid to challenge a shot.
I always looked up to Coop since a little kid when he put on his King D camp in Pasadena (His and my hometown). His 5 “D’s” stayed with me until this very day. Defense, dtermination, dedication, desire and discipline.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:07 am
G says:
Rick Fox. Just cuz of the toughness and in-your-face mentality he brought to the court every night.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:11 am
Franco says:
Magic… no question about it. The guy reinvented the game. Could play all 5 positions, and dominate them.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:17 am
jnice says:
Byron Scott was a straight killer for LA. If Byron was on another squad he’d have definitely had a better rep. He could shoot annnnnd had bounce…….
June 18th, 2009 at 11:17 am
Godot says:
LOGO
makes rings from on AND off the court…
June 18th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Kevin Huynh says:
Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Few players in the history of any sport have been more adept at making their teammates better than Magic Johnson. His incredible creativity, athleticism, and vision on the court were truly “MAGIC” as he routinely “Went Globetrotter” on his opponents. He helped bring “Hollywood” to the Great Western Forum and made the games the spot to be at. Let his resume speak for itself: 3 MVP awards and 5 NBA Championships, and added over 17,000 points and 10,000 assists during his career. He is simply the greatest Los Angeles Laker of all time.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Jason Butrus says:
I grew up in the Kobe generation so I’d have to say from personal experience Kobe is my favorite laker. Never gives up. He’s one of the most exciting players to watch. He’s an assassin and probably the best player to play this game. KOBE 4 LIFE!!
June 18th, 2009 at 11:24 am
LakeShow says:
That’s easy … The Big Dipper!
Why Wilt Chamberlain? Cause he had sex with 20.000 women. If you say from the age of 15 to his death that’s about 1.14 chicks a day.
No one can touch that not even Magic or the Logo
June 18th, 2009 at 11:24 am
LD says:
The Magic Man. As a kid growing up in LA, when you got on the court, you would try to mimic Earvin driving down the lane and dishing a no look pass to a teammate. He is Showtime.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Amsterdam says:
Big Game James, the name says it all: the man played his best when needed the most. On top of that — the goggles, his statue of liberty dunks and the schoolbook finger rolls made it great to watch the man play.
He was Magic’s best sidekick to most, but without him Magic wouldn’t have won as much. He was a complete player who had speed, had an inside game and posessed a killer jump shot.
On top of that, he had his own Kobe-like run-in with the law when he requested a double-team in a Houston hotel… ahahah.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:34 am
loganlight says:
SHAQ!
The most intimidating, game changing center in this decade.
He changed the landscape of the NBA for a good 7 years and is still a force to reckoned with.
LL
June 18th, 2009 at 11:35 am
JayChau says:
The creator of the official ‘Lake Show’, Magic Johnson put on a show every single night. He’s the man putting people on their edge of their seats; waiting for a classic to happen. Magic is hands down, who’s gonna hate him?
June 18th, 2009 at 11:39 am
AG says:
Nick Van Exel.
Of course I love all the old greats, Magic, Worthy, Kareen, the list goes on and on, but when they were playing I was too young to have a real idea of just what they were doing. When I was at my prime age for following basketball I took an immediate liking to Van Exel for many reasons.
Before Horry and Fisher were running around hitting game winners Van Exel was ending games in style, including one unforgettable shot against the Celtics in 1995 where he caught the ball with his back to the hoop turned and drained a deep 3.
Aside from all of Nick’s game winners his off court antics also made me a fan. Anyone who read Jason Williams Loose Balls book knows the trick he pulled where he asked a fan for a jersey to sign then took it and gave it to Williams acting like it was a gift, Williams had no idea why this one particular fan was riding him extra hard all game, the work of Van Exel. Also even though this happened when he was with the Spurs you gotta love when Jalen Rose was trying to deliver commentary and Van Exel was firing towels from the bench and nailed Rose back to back straight to the dome.
So for me it will always be Nick, the game winners and over all style just can’t be topped. Showtime!
June 18th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Celts Fan says:
Karl Malone cuz he loved “hunting for little Mexican girls.”
Also, Kurt Rambis – his neck def assaulted McHale’s arm. Pussy
Celts coming for that get-back in 2010, oh and I don’t want them damn hats
June 18th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Sacto_J says:
Out of East Lansing – #32, Earving, Magic Johnson. No looks, Sky Hooks, Fast Breaking, triple double trouble. With charisma. “No Kareem? No problem. I’ll guard the center, so what if I’m a rook?” Championship. That’s just ridiculous. Next favorite – James Worthy, the workman. Dude brought his lunch pail errday….
Peace
June 18th, 2009 at 11:42 am
YOUNGFED says:
Magic beause he was the epitome of showtime and because he’s the only NBA player i’ve ever known to play all 5 positions, 6 if you count the Laker Girls. (lol)
June 18th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Johan Aagaard says:
Magic Johnson is defiantly my favorite Laker player of all-time, Jordan and him is the reason that NBA is so popular today.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:45 am
momma p says:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the greatest Laker of all time. He scored the most career points of any player in history, and had an unstoppable shot – the skyhook. He won 6 championships, and 6 MVP awards. He was also a jazz aficionado!
Can’t win the “fitted” because of a Dime connection, but did want to weigh in.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:48 am
paolod8 says:
Kobe Bryant.
I started watching the NBA during his rookie year…which coincidentally was also the tail end of Michael Jordan’s second stint with the bulls. The talk of his potential and how he patterned his game after “his airness” really got me.
I watched him grow from a standout rookie with tons of upside to arguably the best off-guard in Laker History.
He keeps you hooked with his combination of killer instinct with the right dose of efficient flair. He really is the one player I never get tired of watching coz I know that every time he steps on the floor he will make me think “damn! how the hell did he do that!” By far, my favorite Laker of all time – Kobe Bryant!”
June 18th, 2009 at 11:51 am
K Dizzle says:
This is easy. Big Game James aallllll day. Magic was the one runnin the show, but Game was the one catchin those passes and finishing EVERYTIME and dude could get his in the one on one too(ask Dennis Rodman-dude was the premiere defensive player, but Game lit him up everytime). Dude was a matchup nightmare at small forward bein 6’9. After the finals mvp in ’88 with a triple doub in GAME 7, I was sold. The goggles, the ridiculous collection of moves in the iso, and dude’s speed end to end with a quick dunk made Big Game my fave. I got 3 Laker jerseys: J West, Kareem and Big Game…That’s it
June 18th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
LA Rich says:
Mike Penberthy. Local boy out of the Master’s College. Won a Championship every year he was in the League. Story is Jerry West saw him shooting and invited him to camp. Made the team, won two rings, and the rest is history.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Scott says:
Nick Van Exel was my guilty pleasure favorite Laker. He brought excitement to the LakeShow before the Shaq or Kobe era. I remember those days when he was hitting game winners, fadeaway 3′s, crazy shit. Back when he was running with EJ, Ceballos, Vlade and Elden. The poor man’s LakeShow, but they were always underdogs, and a hell of a fun team to watch. The championship Lakers squads of all era’s are certainly fun and incredible ballers, but for some reason that squad, and Van Exel specifically (probably cuz we’re both Lefty’s) will always hold a special place in my bball memories.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Wilt Chamberlain says:
http://www.nba.com/media/lakers/Laker%20girls%200607%20group%20photoweb.jpg
that one.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
air 23 says:
It’s KOBE. I’m 36, but never saw Jordan play a college game. I first saw Mike during the 84 olympics. I still remember him taking off from the free throw line against Spain for the coolest layup I’d ever seen. I’m from Detroit, so it was tough with the bad boys coming up and all, but I was a fan from that day forward. People finally shut up after the 3rd ring about MJ being simply a ball hog / scorer. In my opinion Kobe has finally reached that level this year. I like greatness, and Kobe and MJ are different, but the best that I’ve ever seen. Kobe has 3 rings to go……and wouldn’t it be sweet if he gets that last one in a Knick uni?? Oh yeah and he scored 81pts…..could any other Laker have ever done that?
June 18th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Dubee says:
The Black Mamba, Of course! “UNSTOPPABLE” Do I really need to explain why, With the numbers he puts up & the things he’s able to do on the court. He”ll continue to break plenty more records in the years to come.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
arod8ball says:
For those in the know, it’s Sedale Threatt. When Magic left the game, and Big Game had no more game left, it was Sedale who was the Laker’s best player. Seriously. He carried that team every night. Plus, no one can mess with that chest hair.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Josh says:
It has to be Kobe.
I was in high school at the same time, and graduated during Kobe’s rookie season. I’ll never forget that first playoffs when he airballed 4 straight threes during the 4th quarter and overtime. I couldn’t believe that he was taking those shots, but as time moved on, he just continued to grow as a player, and when they finally won the title in 2000 it was really fulfilling to see the Lakers on top again.
Shaq gets so much credit for those titles, but Kobe put in the same amount of work, and on the most famous play of their pairing, Kobe did all of the work, and Shaq got all of the credit.
That alley-oop was all Kobe.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
quest??? says:
karl malone and gary payton, because they destroyed the laker’s chances of winning a championship
June 18th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Jerwest44 says:
It’s all about “Mr. Clutch” Jerry West, even though he has only one ring as a player, but if it wasn’t for him Kobe would be a Hornets.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
CJR says:
Mr. Jerry West aka Mr. Clutch bka Mr. NBA logo. Although I wasn’t around to watch him play, I saw tapes of him playe and his game was so smooth. He made the all defensive team at age 32! How many guys can strap down on defense at age 32? He made numerous all star teams and was a nba champion. He holds the record for ppg in a playoff series and won The finals MVP despite being on the losing team.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
CJR says:
Mr. Jerry West aka Mr. Clutch bka Mr. NBA logo. Although I wasn’t around to watch him play, I saw tapes of him playe and his game was so smooth. He made the all defensive team at age 32! How many guys can strap down on defense at age 32? He made numerous all star teams and was a nba champion. He holds the record for ppg in a playoff series and won The finals MVP despite being on the losing team.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
KCS says:
I wanna say AC Green because of the jheri curl (soul glo was on par with Cube and Eazy), the iron man streak (1,192 straight games from November 19, 1986 to April 17, 2001), the way he ran the break, filled the lanes and finished Magic’s dimes with the Showtime Lakers, and his willingness to bang down low and be tough & nasty on defense with both the Showtime Lakers when he was younger, and with the Shaq and Kobe Lakers when he was much older(Shaq:”He really had my back at power forward”; “AC would do anything to get a rebound”;”He was a great guy to have on your team, but he was dirty–my shoulder still ain’t right because of AC”), and of course we definitely can’t forget the green bear neither.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Jeron Rowland says:
Kobe:
4× NBA Champion
NBA Finals MVP
NBA Most Valuable Player
11× NBA All-Star
2× NBA Scoring Champion
7× All-NBA First Team
2× All-NBA Second Team
2x All-NBA Third Team
7× All-Defensive First Team
2× All-Defensive Second Team
NBA All-Rookie Second Team
3× NBA All-Star Game MVP
NBA Slam Dunk Champion
Naismith Prep Player of the Year
not to mention his work ethic and passion for the game
June 18th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Jeron Rowland says:
Kobe:
4× NBA Champion
NBA Finals MVP
NBA Most Valuable Player
11× NBA All-Star
2× NBA Scoring Champion
7× All-NBA First Team
2× All-NBA Second Team
2x All-NBA Third Team
7× All-Defensive First Team
2× All-Defensive Second Team
NBA All-Rookie Second Team
3× NBA All-Star Game MVP
NBA Slam Dunk Champion
Naismith Prep Player of the Year
81 points in a game
not to mention his work ethic and passion for the game
June 18th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
J Tok says:
Jerry West:
He won his only chip with the Lakers (with a little help) and he would have sick hair flow wearing those hats
June 18th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Kabrewskee says:
Kobe for skill, Magic for basketball smarts, Wilt for dominance, and Kareem for finesse…
…but I’m going to do something “out-of-the-box” and say Michael Cooper. “Coop” is the ultimate unsung Lakers hero (they haven’t even retired his number) and was a pivotal piece of the Showtime puzzle.
Third-round draft pick who played for a city college, only to become one of the most intense defensive forces in the history of the swingman position:
Five Titles.
Five First Team All-Defense (Three Second Teams).
Dirty Hops.
No questions asked- the man the deserves some respect. Coop-a-Loop all day.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
J says:
Cedric Ceballos! Went to school nearby at CS Fullerton. Balled with PHX for a while won the Slam Dunk Contest with the blindfold dunk. Came to the Lakers for 4 seasons. They weren’t the most successful years, but i loved those years. He led the team in scoring was an All Star. Even had his Superstar incident MIA partying it up with White Girls at Lake Havasu. Whats not to like about that?!?!?
June 18th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Dukesman2000 says:
Kobe Bryant. No disrespect to other Laker legends but I can only speak of what I’ve seen with my own eyes, as oppose to second hand tales from older relatives.
Everyone knows about the tangibles – his points, assists and rebounds per game, etc., but what I want to talk about are the intangibles – mental toughness, confidence, refusal to lose, great work ethics, physicality and killer instincts
Mental toughness and focus – Try focusing on something, anything, for 5 minutes. I am not talking about just paying attention; actually focus on one thing without thinking about anything else. Stop when you smell wood burning. This is the type of focus Kobe maintains for 48 minutes. Nothing distracts him from the task at hand. I don’t know what it is, maybe its the smell of the ball, or the lights in the arena that put Kobe in this trance…I believe if a Mack truck rolls out on the court Kobe will be the last one to see it.
Confidence – though there is a thin line between confidence and conceit (which Kobe crosses every night) he knows there isn’t anyone on planet Earth that can guard him. He knows he is the best player on the floor and if you try to prove others wise, he’ll put you in the “cobra clutch.”.
Refusal to lose – I heard in a recent interview Kobe gave and he spoke about losing. He said, “People say if you lose, as long as you’ve given it your best, then that’s all that matters…I can’t work with that” I CAN”T WORK WITH THAT…Kobe likes to win but his fear of losing is greater.
Great work ethics – Everyone who has done an interview about Kobe’s preparation speaks of how nobody prepares like he does. He watches more film than assistant coaches; he is in the gym 50 hours per week. He finds weaknesses in his game and turns them in his strengths. Even before games at shoot-arounds, Kobe is sweating as much as if he’d just played 4 quarters of basketball. The man’s passion bucket is overflowing.
Physicality – What does Raja Bell, Shane Battier, Ron Artest all have in common? They’ve all be bloodied by Kobe.
Killer Instincts – On the Court, if you are not on Kobe’s team, he sees you the same way the Bushes see Sadam, a grave threat that must be annihilated.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Jo Jo says:
Wilt – All I got to say is 20,000… Points, rebounds, and sexual conquests!!
June 18th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
dk says:
MJ being a tall ass point, as a rookie playing all 5 spots with ultra versatility. The ultimate desire to compete and win. Plus he banged alot of hot bitches and is a God fearing super entreprenur…
June 18th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Finnoh Bangura says:
The easy answer here is Kobe. He will probably go down as the best laker to ever play the game (sorry Shaq, Kobes always been with the lakers and maybe if you could make free throws you could score 81.) But I think Im actually going to have to go with my man ‘Big Game’ James Worthy.
This man is a hall of famer(1st time eligible),3 time champion, First overall pick , 50 greatest players, averaged 53% shooting in the finals all-time, fifth all time in laker scoring and 2nd all time in steals, this man had a triple double {36 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists} in game seven of the ’88 finals to help the lakers repeat as champs and snagged a finals mvp. Worthy was a bad man and aside from the Black Mamba he is my favorite laker of all time.
June 18th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
dk says:
@14 He changed the rules of the game
June 18th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
mamba says:
KOBE: HE’S BEEN THE BEST IN THE FINAL SECONDS SINCE HIS SECOND FINALS.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Brian says:
Sedale Threatt- may not have won a championship while in LA but he did help keep the lakers competitive after Magic left.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Phillip K says:
D-FISH
are you kiddin me?
0.4
4.6
’nuff said
June 18th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
dk says:
@44 Epic fail tard, hes a four time champ
June 18th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Colin P says:
it’s definitely jack nicholson
dude is the biggest all-time laker hands down
June 18th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
dk says:
@dk ultra epic fail, learn how to read, my bad…
June 18th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
dk says:
@42
Wilt cant prove shit. Magics got the greatest STD of all time, so you know homie was wild and going bare back in bitches, gotta luv that. Then hes so the man the Lors cured him, come on!
June 18th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Danny says:
He’s not a player but he’s definitely a Laker, Chick Hearns.
An announcer who called the game the way he saw not without any favoritism to the Lakers, his Chick-isms that we (as Laker fans) got oh so used to hearing, and his amazing streak of consecutive games that lasted over 35 years.
Games aren’t the same without him.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
thomasmmm says:
Phil Jackson should be counted as a Laker right? X baby! Jerry West (if you want to get technical) for putting everything together. It’s not only about talent, it’s about the team. And maybe Sedale Threatt, who had a nifty surname.
June 18th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
David Garcia says:
Magic Johnson
He definitely elevated the game to another range, and so the Lakers. He is the one with the statue outside the Staples.
June 18th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Erkki says:
Magic Johnson by a mile.
Although the first Laker I knew was Kareem (I thought his name was “Cream” when I first heard it), it was Magic who somehow pulled me into the television screen and into the forum with his charisma and competitiveness. He was the best of both worlds – he had that streetball flair to him, but at the same time he was all about putting the team first and winning titles.
Although I loved the no-look passes and the 5,000-megawatt smile, I think that the classy way that he handled his HIV announcement in 1991 (I was in the 9th grade) spoke volumes about what kind of man he was. He could have easily kept it a secret, or he could have retired under more mysterious circumstances. Instead, he shared a very personal thing with the world and basically agreed to become the face of a disease that had previously been associated with homosexuals and drug users.
Magic was the all-time assist king when he retired, but his biggest assist was helping the world understand that we were all at risk when it came to HIV/AIDS, and that’s why he is my favorite Laker…always thinking team first. In this case, his team was the world.
June 18th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Einnod says:
Mark Madsen – His CHampionship victory dance!!!
Enough said!!
Holla!!!
June 18th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Audel Del Toro says:
*Kobe Bean Bryant*
Since Kobe was drafted in 96 I have followed him and have gotten attached to him. All the ups and downs he has been through I went though with him and the Lakers. From the airballs in Utah to the back to back to back titles to the colorado incident to the struggles of not making playoffs under Rudy Tomjanovich to this Years Championship. All the memories that Kobe has given me are memories I will hold in my heart forever and appreciate the passion and his will to win and make the Lakers champions and put them back on top where they belong. Kobe Bryant without question is my favorite Laker of all time and arguably the best player in Laker and NBA History….
June 18th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
rd says:
james worthy: 1982 ncaa champ, 1988 finals mvp, had his own new balance sneaker and he wore goggles.
June 18th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
KB24 says:
Kobe Bryant. Because I grew up watching this guy. His will to win. He reminded me so much of MJ. But lets not start on the MJ vs Kobe thing. Watching Kobe is like a gift from god because really…who does the things he does on the court? Nobody. Everything he does amazes me. From his leadership. to his overall knowledge of the game. His fundamentals which are lost in the league today. To his flashy shots, passes, and crossovers. Yea he may come off as a boring, corny, stuck up guy. but when it comes to basketball. If you love basketball period, you have to love what he does from a basketball standpoint.
June 18th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
JR says:
Kobe Bryant, the second coming of MJ, the youngest player to start in a AllStar game, Mr. 4NBA titles, Mr. Olympic gold medalist, Mr. 8 then and 24 now. Kobe personifies the grates Laker of all time. Ultimately, “Moma there goes that man”.
June 18th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
hammer says:
haha spoof basketball
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FChI443vl6Q
June 18th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
A Sarai says:
Nobody but Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, not only has he scored the most points in history but he also won six rings and six mvps. He is also a 19 time allstar, many centers are often overlooked because the NBA often overlooks big men in the nba because they dont have the flare and quickness of guards. Lets not forget his move the skyhook, but who else can say they got to go a fight scene with Bruce Lee, only Mantis can say that. He is probably one of the greatest centers ever. This is going out the number 33.
June 18th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
bobby stew says:
A.C. Green because he was a straight soldier!!! Not only did he prove himself as an Ironman by playing the most cosecutive games ever but he remained a virgin until marriage. Now that’s a guy of determination and discipline. Plus he’s the only Laker to win rings with Magic, Shaq, and Kobe. And he had a fly Jerry Curl!
June 18th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Dirk says:
Wilt Chamberlin
100pts 1 game.
nuff said
June 18th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Mase says:
Blessed with the ability to choose from so many great ones in this franchise, I’m going to choose one that has been more or less ignored here:
Jerry West
-Mr. Clutch
-The only NBA player to win a Finals MVP on a losing team. Ridiculously consistently good stats.
-The Lakers best player in the 60s, kept the team at the top of the NBA with his management and front office skills for the next FOUR DECADES. There wouldn’t be Showtime, 3-peat, or Mitch Kupchak, without Jerry West (shoutout to Dr.Buss). The Lakers have made the finals 30, count it, THIRTY times, and much of that is owed to Mr. West.
-The Logo. ’nuff said.
June 18th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
samkim says:
Sid Hartman. He created the Lakers. http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-crowe-nest27-2009apr27,0,6076598,full.column
He almost got Bill Russell in a Lakers jersey as well. But George Mikan was a fine pick too. He’s not a player but without him there are no Lakers. At least in LA.
June 18th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
dl says:
Magic Johnson
He has three NBA MVP Awards, nine NBA Finals appearances, twelve All-Star games, and ten All-NBA First and Second Team nominations. He led the league in regular-season assists four times, and is the NBA’s all-time leader in assists per game with an average of 11.2. Johnson was also a member of the “Dream Team”, the U.S. basketball team that won the Olympic gold medal in 1992.
Off the court, he gives back to the community through his philanthropy and businesses that he set up in the not-so-fortunate areas. Class act.
June 18th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
POPPI GEE says:
Phil Jackson. 10 rings. Plus he has coached, managed and won with the best and some of the best players of the game ever. All the excuses in the world or debates as to him being the best coach will continue. Still, the things that can’t be debated are the man wins, deals with many huge egos and gets them to deal with each other long enough to get a minimum 1 ring out of them and multiple rings with others.
A master of motivation, detail and methods in dealing with the mind as it relates to basketball. While other coaches (George Karl) were showing videos Kimbo Slice, he was passing players books like “The Art of War”. From his stars to the bench he finds a way to reach them all.
Sure I really like Kobe’s style of playing basketball and I love Magic, but I haven’t always respected them or appreciated them for one reason or another at various times.
With Phil in The Chi. or L.A. I have always liked him and respected him.
Most def. he is my favorite Laker of all time.
June 18th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
TS says:
Adam Morrison. Without him the Lakers would of never won 2009 title.
June 18th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
NC says:
Kobe Bryant. He made me want to play basketball.
June 18th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
buffaloballa says:
Jamaal Wilkes-he was Cornbread in Cornbread, Earl and Me
June 18th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Dime Magazine says:
And the winners are…
bballinca (Michael Cooper) & AG (Nick Van Exel). Congrats! We’ll shoot you an e-mail via the one you used to post.
Look out for another contest tomorrow…
June 18th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
dk says:
@65 that dont mean shit. Was he even a Laker then? Wikipedia dont go back that far. You know Reggie Millers brother scored more in a game right?
June 18th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
JayTea says:
What about Jerome Kersey, 110% all the time.
June 18th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
jian says:
dunk sb shoes
June 18th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
dk says:
@ qq
Congrats on winning your first nba finals game.
June 18th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Nisanth says:
Most of these people here probably (not accusing) have not even seen Magic Johnson play, and were most likely born in the late 80′s and 90′s. So instead of taking history’s word for it, I’m here to talk about MY favorite Laker growing up: The Big Aristotle, One of the most dominant centres of all time…Shaquille O’Neale. Not only did he change Laker Nation, with his strength, character, charisma, skills and leadership quality, on the court, but off the court as well. His trash talk (especially with the Sacramento “Queens”) was legendary, and his pairings with Kobe worked to perection. Three rings, 3 finals mvp trophies, it was when Shaq was a Laker did he become a massive house hold name and celebrity. This is why Shaquille O’Neale, is my favorite Laker of my generation!
June 18th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Alman Orna says:
Magic Johnson. The best BASKETBALL PLAYER of all time. My statement can almost start a looooong debate on dimemag and across the country. In my opinion Magic was the best BASKETBALL player ever while Mike was the best player/athlete. I think thats the same argument and tags that can be put on Kobe(best player) and Lebron(athlete of this era. Magic couldnt play any other sport but basketball and he did this with the ability to play and defend all five position. Arguably the most versatile player of all time also.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
chebs says:
people are making essays
kinda sad.
i’ll win keeping it simple
KOBE “BLACK MAMBA” BRYANT
why: 81 points
lol
June 19th, 2009 at 6:18 am
MBE18 says:
Magic, because after games at the forum, he was picking girls out from the stands to fuck. He used to use a small back room to fuck em after the games that wasn’t too far from the locker room.
June 19th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
LakerLeo says:
A tie between Jerry West and the greatest announcer of all time, Chick Hearn, for what they did for the team on and off the court. It wasn’t the same this year when the last few seconds ran off the clock and Chick was not there to pronounce the Lakers World Champions!
June 19th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Duchess J says:
Corie Blount is my favorite Laker of all time! Got lungs to smoke 29 pounds of marijuana he was busted with. Told the judge it was for personal use.
Look it up here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corie_Blount
June 20th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Myke_Wayne says:
I have 3. Magic, Kobe and Van Exel.
Nick was clutch and went hard. lil’ Dude too. That was my Guy
http://www.twitter.com/mykewayne
June 20th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
kIMLOVESKOBE says:
KOBE because… well… coz hes cool
June 23rd, 2009 at 11:06 am
jbas says:
kurt rambis.
dude was ufc before the ufc. and could dunk. and wore shades.
stud.
7 5/8.
thanks in advance.
June 25th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Alex says:
Kobe Bryant hands down 81, CHAMP, MVP, thats all i have to say
June 25th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
jumpman3224 says:
Kobe Bryant because he changed the way that I watch, think about, cheer for, etc basketball. As far as retired members go…Elgin he was a BAMF and gets little love from today’s fans. Top 12 greatest ever…no cartledge in his knees for half his career that’s g.
June 29th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
keith "kato" henderson says:
As a lifelong Lakers fan (from ’79-’80 to present), I’ve seen some of the best to ever wear the purple and gold, but my all-time favorite remains Earvin “Magic” Johnson.
Here was a man who had won on each level, coming in; High School and College. Stepping onto the NBA stage was merely the next step towards him reaching his “legend” status. We know the story well: Rookie year, NBA Championship on the line, and he steps into a big game in the absence of the team’s biggest star (literally and figuratively). Jumps at Center, and puts on a masterful performance, on the way to a Lakers title. This was the culmination of a season in which he nearly averaged a triple-double. As a ROOKIE!
I was 9 years old, at the time, and have been a Lakers fan ever since. Magic Johnson sparked my love of the team, but, more importantly, my love of the GAME, itself. Magic wasn’t the most athletically gifted, in his prime, the way some of the league’s ‘high-flyers’ were, but his talent, his selflessness, his drive, his competitiveness, his leadership, and his charisma were all the best qualities that one could find in a star athlete. It was easy to want to emulate him.
I was in High School during the “Showtime” days, and would bring the ball up, on the break, in that same, creaky-kneed way that Magic did, and there was not a thing wrong with my knees. It just, subconsciously, became a part of how I played, because I admired his game so much. While others tried getting maximum lift on their jump shots, i took the ‘tiptoe set shots’, just like Magic. Might sound funny, but, I’ll tell you what… More often than not, those shots went in. And, those fastbreaks usually resulted in made baskets.
Magic Johnson was a one-of-a-kind player. His influence was immeasurable. He would’ve had a solid rep’, simply for what he did on the High School and College levels, but he climbed even higher, becoming a 5-time NBA champion, battling some of the best competition that anyone in the sport has ever faced.
Legendary, if you ask me. That’s why Magic Johnson is my favorite Laker of all time.