There are thirty franchises in the NBA, but very few teams boast more than a handful of all-time greats. The Los Angeles Lakers are one of these teams, with a rich history of basketball players who have amassed individual accolades and ultimately cemented their names on the franchise’s GOAT (Greatest of All Time) list.
Many NBA greats have called Los Angeles home, from the late Jerry West to LeBron James, the current face of the Lakers. James has enjoyed a stellar career as a basketball player, with numerous records to his name. He is regarded by many as the greatest player to ever play the sport, with Michael Jordan being his sole competition for the top spot in most GOAT discussions.
However, debates continue to spring up about LeBron’s time in Los Angeles and whether or not he has done enough to solidify himself as one of the top Lakers of all time, and rightly so. James spent most of his basketball heyday outside of California: he was already a 3x NBA Champion, 4x MVP, and 4x Finals MVP before bringing his talents to the West Coast in 2018.
James has achieved success in Los Angeles, no doubt. In the six seasons he has played for the Lakers, he led the franchise to a Championship and was named Finals MVP. He also helped the franchise win the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament title, which, although it doesn’t hold much weight compared to winning a ring, is worth applauding.
But judging by franchise success alone, has he done enough to warrant an all-time great Laker shout? Not yet. A championship in six years is outstanding, but that’s still far from impressive, at least to Lakers fans who witnessed other greats win championships and create lasting memories for the Purple and Gold.
A classic example is the late great Kobe Bryant, who spent all of his 20-year professional career repping adorning his iconic No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys. In his early years with the franchise, he teamed up with Shaquille O’Neal, another all-time Laker, to form arguably the most dominant duo ever to play the sport. The Shaq and Kobe era brought the Lakers three consecutive championships (the last team to achieve this feat).
Outside of his partnership with Shaq, Kobe helped the Lakers win two more championships, including a win against the Boston Celtics arch-rivals in the 2010 NBA Finals. Kobe’s final years may have been forgettable due to multiple injuries and lackluster rosters. Still, Bryant had already done more than enough in his career to have his name etched in the annals of Lakers history. While it’s not impossible to oppose his spot, it’s hard to bring up a clear-cut argument that undermines Kobe’s legacy as the Lakers’ greatest player.
Aside from finishing his Lakers career as a 5x NBA Champion, 2x Finals MVP, 2007 MVP, 18x All-Star, and 15x All-NBA, Kobe created so many memorable moments in Los Angeles that some die-hard Lakers fans will find it offensive to consider him anything short of the greatest Laker. It’s hard to forget the 81 points he scored against the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006 (the most in a single game in Lakers history). Kobe also holds the franchise record for the most games scoring at least 40 points (134), 50 points (26), and 60 points (10), not to mention his final career game, where he scored 60 points against the Utah Jazz at 37 years old. Breathtaking!
If Kobe’s resume wasn’t enough to seal this discussion, another name that will come to mind when it comes to Lakers legends is Earvin “Magic” Johnson, arguably the most outstanding point guard of all time. Magic was at the forefront of one the most exciting eras in Lakers history, “the Showtime Era.”
In his 13-year NBA career playing for the Lakers, Magic was a winner from the get-go. After he was selected No. 1 Draft overall by the Lakers in 1979, he helped the team win a championship the following year as a rookie. His performance in the Finals was so good it earned him the MVP. Magic stepped up to play center in the absence of an injured Abdul-Jabbar and dropped 42 points on the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals to seal the deal for the Lakers. He finished his Laker career with five rings, three Finals MVPs, and three MVPs.
It will be hard to argue in favor of LeBron being even one of the top five greatest Lakers of all time. Besides the names already elaborated, he is still far from achieving with the Lakers what Shaq (3x Champion, 2000 MVP, 3x Finals MVP), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (5x Champion, 3x MVP, 1985 Finals MVP), and James Worthy (3x Champion, 1988 Finals MVP).
This is not a sleight at LeBron’s achievements on this side of the map; he has had his moments as a Laker. Bringing a championship to Los Angeles after a decade’s hiatus should count for something. He also became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, putting on a Lakers jersey. Since his blockbuster move to the Lakers, James has averaged 27 points per game, eight assists, and 7.9 rebounds. And to think he still plays some of the best basketball in the league while being past his prime is ridiculous.
Nevertheless, many Lakers fans will agree that one championship and one Finals MVP is not enough to sit on the Lakers’ Mt. Rushmore, at least not yet. Winning one more ring next season with this current roster may boost his Lakers profile, however. They are far from being championship contenders at the moment, though, at least according to the current NBA odds.
Yes, counting out a player like LeBron is flat-out stupid. Any version of LeBron can still dominate the basketball court, even though he is still getting paid to play. He has defied the odds several times in his career, most notably in 2016 when he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 3-1 comeback in the finals against arguably the greatest regular season team in history.
Lakers fans who think LeBron can further his legacy with a championship this season can rely on TrustnBet’s team of experts to learn how to place the best bets ahead of the new NBA season. Is LeBron’s legacy as a Laker sealed? It’s hard to tell at the moment. King James has been very tight-lipped about his retirement, and it’s difficult to know how long he will be playing at the highest level. But one thing is quite sure: he still has some work to do if he wants to be considered one of the GOAT Lakers players of all time.