The Lakers franchise has been one of the most popular teams in the NBA for decades. The Lakers began their team in the laid-back, quiet state of Minnesota. The team name originated from the nickname of the state, “The Land of the Lakes” thus– Lakers. The team’s first dynasty started in Minneapolis with the great George Mikan.
With Mikan, the Lakers won multiple titles and became the league’s first “powerhouse.” However, the Lakers didn’t stay in Minnesota for long; in 1960 the franchise moved to Los Angeles and was know as the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers then embarked on a new journey that will be filled with championships and legendary names. After the Lakers moved to Los Angeles, they were acquired players like Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlin.
However, their star-studded rosters continued to develop and are still growing today. Laker fans have had the privilege to see players like Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant to name a few.
Several days ago, the Lakers announced that they will unveil a Jerry West statue outside Staples Center; West will join the statues of Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Francis Dayle “Chick” Hearn.
Three great Lakers will have statues of themselves outside Staples, but what player is left out? The Lakers franchise has seen some of the greatest players the league has ever seen, but many of them have not had the honor of a statue. Let’s take a look back at Lakers’ history and see which player or players deserves a statue outside Staples Center.
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