- 1960
- 1967
- 1972
- 1972
- 1979
- 1980 - 1982
- 1985-1988
- 2000 - 2002
- 2009 - 2010
- 2020
-
Move To Los Angeles – Lakers
In 1957, the team was nearly sold to Kansas City interests who planned to relocate it there, before a local group helmed by businessman Bob Short purchased the team and kept it in Minneapolis. The new ownership was unable to cure the team’s financial ills, however. After considering moves to Chicago and San Francisco, Bob Short decided to move the ... -
The “Fabulous” Forum
The Lakers moved to Cooke’s brand-new arena, The “Fabulous” Forum, in 1967 The circular, US$16 million structure was designed by renowned Los Angeles architect Charles Luckman and was intended to evoke the Roman Forum. The arena seats 17,505, for basketball, 16,005, for ice hockey, and up to 18,000 for concerts; it has no luxury suites but held an unprecedented 2,400 ... -
Record: 33 Straight Wins
By winning 33 straight games, Los Angeles set a record for the longest winning streak of any team in American professional sports. The Lakers won 69 games that season, which stood as the NBA record for 24 years until the Chicago Bulls won 72 games in 1995 – 1996. -
NBA Finals Winner 1972
NBA Finals – 1972 The 1972 NBA World Championship Series was played at the conclusion of the 1971 – 1972 NBA season. The Western Conference Champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference Champion New York Knicks in five games. The Los Angeles Lakers got their first NBA championship since the Lakers moved to Los Angeles from Minneapolis. -
Drafting Magic Johnson
In the 1979 NBA draft, Los Angeles selected 6-foot, 9-inch point guard Magic Johnson from Michigan State with the first overall pick. It took Johnson’s teammates time to acclimate themselves to his passing ability, as his “no-look” passes often caught them unaware. Once they adjusted, his passing became a key part of Los Angeles’ offense. The Lakers won 60 games ... -
NBA Finals Winner 80′ and 82′
NBA Finals – 1980 The 1980 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1979 – 1980 NBA season. In Game 6, Magic Johnson played what may have been the greatest game of his career. Playing on the road in Philadelphia, Magic (a 6’9″ point guard) started the game at center and eventually played all 5 positions in ... -
NBA Finals Winner 85′ 87′ 88′
NBA Finals – 1985 The 1985 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1984 – 1985 NBA season. The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Celtics four games to two to defeat the Celtics for the first time in Laker history in the NBA Finals. NBA Finals – 1987 The 1987 NBA Finals was the championship round of ... -
NBA Finals Winner 00′ 01′ 02′
NBA Finals – 2000 The 2000 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association’s 1999 – 2000 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers 4 games to 2. Shaquille O’Neal was named NBA Finals MVP. NBA Finals – 2001 The 2001 NBA Playoffs was the ... -
NBA Finals 09′ 10′
NBA Finals – 2009 The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association’s 2008 – 2009 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant was named NBA Finals MVP. NBA Finals – 2010 The 2010 ... -
17th Title Lakers NBA Champs
The 2020 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s 2019–20 season and conclusion of the season’s playoffs. In this best-of-seven playoff series, the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, 4–2, winning their first NBA championship in ten years. It was the franchise’s 17th title, tying the Boston Celtics ...
History of the Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member club of the league’s Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their home games at Staples Center, an arena shared with the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. The Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA and have won 16 NBA championships, their last being in 2010. As of 2015, the Lakers are the second most valuable franchise in the NBA according to Forbes, having an estimated value of $2.7 billion.
The franchise began with the 1947 purchase of a disbanded team, the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League (NBL). The new team began playing in Minneapolis, Minnesota, calling themselves the Minneapolis Lakers. Initially, a member of the NBL, the Lakers won the 1948 NBL championship before joining the rival Basketball Association of America, where they would win five of the next six championships, led by star George Mikan. After struggling financially in the late 1950s following Mikan's retirement, they relocated to Los Angeles before the 1960–61 season.
Established
1947
City
Minneapolis – Los Angeles
League History
1949 – Present / National Basketball Association
1948 – 1949 / Basketball Association of America
1947 – 1948 / National Basketball League
Team History
1960 – Present / Los Angeles Lakers
1947 – 1948, 1948 – 1960 / Minneapolis Lakers
Nickname
Lakers – When a pair of investors relocated the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League to Minneapolis before the 1947 season, they sought a name that would ring true with the team's new home. Given that Minnesota is "The Land of 10,000 Lakes," they settled on Lakers. When the Lakers moved to Los Angeles before the 1960 season, their nickname was retained, in part because of the tradition the team had established in Minnesota.
Championship
NBA Championships 12
2020, 2010, 2009, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1988, 1987, 1985, 1982, 1980, 1972, 1954, 1953, 1952, 1950, 1949
Arena
2000 – Present / Staples Arena
1967 – 1999 / The “Fabulous” Forum
1960 – 1967 / Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
*Minneapolis*
1947 – 1960 / Minneapolis Auditorium
Owner
2013 – Present / Buss Family Trust
1979 – 2013 / Jerry Buss
1965 – 1979 / Jack Kent Cooke
1957 – 1965 / Bob Short
1948 – 1957 / Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
Retired Number
8 / Kobe Bryant
13 / Wilt Chamberlain
22 / Elgin Baylor
24 / Kobe Bryant
25 / Gail Goodrich
32 / Magic Johnson
33 / Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
34 / Shaquille O’Neal
42 / James Worthy
44 / Jerry West
52 / Jamal Wilkes
MIC / Chick Hearn
*Blue is this team’s history