Greatest Laker of All Time

Lost Angel · Post #1 » by **Lost Angel** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:52 pm

who do you got?

Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, Jerry West, Shaquille O'neal, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, James Worthy..........

wow. the names on that list are incredible, and I'm sure I've missed some phenomenal players. That's just off the top of my head.

my vote goes to Magic Johnson. He is still synonymous with LA. Kobe has a chance to catch him, but for now, my vote has to go to Magic.

Wavy Q · Post #2 » by **Wavy Q** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:58 pm

Magic

Sedale Threatt · Post #3 » by **Sedale Threatt** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:38 pm

Earvin Magic. Then Kobe. Then Kareem. Then West. Then Shaq.

Gek · Post #4 » by **Gek** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:44 pm

Just throwing this name out there, and he doesn't get a lot of mention, Mark Madsen.

Lost Angel · Post #5 » by **Lost Angel** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:44 pm

^ are those the top 5 that come to mind for most people?

hermes · Post #6 » by **hermes** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:51 pm

Jerry Buss :wink:

Base · Post #7 » by **Base** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 10:46 pm

Lost Angel wrote:^ are those the top 5 that come to mind for most people?

doozyj · Post #8 » by **doozyj** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 11:10 pm

Magic, but believe Kobe will take that spot in 5-7 years when he retires.

salmahayek · Post #9 » by **salmahayek** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 1:22 am

I want to say Magic, my all time fave, but at the same time, Kareem has to get serious consideration...all - time scoring champ, the most MVP awards, as well as, just as many championships as any Laker, and he has Finals MVPs, too.

Plus, he played the most pivotal role in the Lakers most important Finals victory ever - 1985 - the breakthrough against the Celtics.

Kobe is up there...but only one MVP award and he only defeated one great team in The Finals, IMO, the Celtics.

When Magic and Kareem were winning championships, there were doing it against other great teams all the time, the Celtics, Sixers, and Pistons.

andrewww · Post #10 » by **andrewww** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 3:35 am

doozyj wrote:Magic, but believe Kobe will take that spot in 5-7 years when he retires.

this.

kareem is a closer 3rd than people will give him credit. he was the driving force of the 1980 and 1985 finals (including the 85 breakthrough when they clinced on the parquet floor of the garden).

EnigmaticProblem · Post #11 » by **EnigmaticProblem** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 3:54 am

Oh my God. . . YES!

The fortnightly "Who's The Greatest Laker?" thread!

LascelleL · Post #12 » by **LascelleL** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 3:59 am

Magic/Kobe, Kareem, Shaq,Jerry

doozyj · Post #13 » by **doozyj** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:04 am

EnigmaticProblem wrote:Oh my God. . . YES!

The fortnightly "Who's The Greatest Laker?" thread!

It's the off season. :-?

Anklebreaker702 · Post #14 » by **Anklebreaker702** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 11:30 am

Magic then the Cap. Only because Kareem didn't play his entire career with the Lakers. Other wise i'd have them even or the Cap 1st

kblo247 · Post #15 » by **kblo247** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 12:32 pm

1. Kobe - The most skilled, toughest, and hardest working Laker ever. The guy who played the most roles to help his team win their titles because he wasn't blessed with a Worthy to finish, Scott to shoot, or cooper to cover for him defensively full time; so, he had to close games, facilitate the offense. guard the best perimeter player 1-3, rebound, and put up first option scoring numbers to compensate for his roster. Longest tenured Laker ever. The most important business piece the team has ever had which has allowed LA to sustain their payroll with the Buss's having no outside business, he is the top tv draw, the top merch draw, and top road draw for LA and the league since Jordan hung em up, and the thought of having an exclusive library of his past games to broadcast is a large reason TWC admittedly is paying LA crazy cash.

2. Magic - greatest PG ever

3. Kareem - I honestly think he is the second greatest player of all time, but unlike Kobe and Magic he sadly wasn't a lifer

4. West - The logo and architect of so many teams

5. Shaq - love or hate him, what he did for the team can't be denied, just postponed for his mouth but that is another topic

6-10 for me is a combo of Buss, Phil, Mikan (there is no Laker franchise, hell maybe even no league w/o him), Wilt, and Worthy

kblo247 · Post #16 » by **kblo247** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 12:39 pm

salmahayek wrote:I want to say Magic, my all time fave, but at the same time, Kareem has to get serious consideration...all - time scoring champ, the most MVP awards, as well as, just as many championships as any Laker, and he has Finals MVPs, too.

Plus, he played the most pivotal role in the Lakers most important Finals victory ever - 1985 - the breakthrough against the Celtics.

Kobe is up there...but only one MVP award and he only defeated one great team in The Finals, IMO, the Celtics.

When Magic and Kareem were winning championships, there were doing it against other great teams all the time, the Celtics, Sixers, and Pistons.

Yeah but Kobe was also sleighing the teams who were thought to be the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th best in the league regularly to get to those Finals where Shaq feasted. Check out what he did the Spurs, Kings, and Blazers back in the day.

The Finals was a formality during that 3 peat because the western playoffs is where the title was constantly decided, unlike in Showtime's time where the east would kill one another

Doormatt · Post #17 » by **Doormatt** » Thu Jun 23, 2011 11:16 am

Magic followed closely by Kobe and West, then Kareem, then Shaq&Wilt, then Worthy, then blah.

Optms · Post #18 » by **Optms** » Thu Jun 23, 2011 11:45 am

Luke Walton followed closely by playground legend himself, Chris Mihm.

LA Forever · Post #19 » by **LA Forever** » Thu Jun 23, 2011 1:05 pm

The fans.

The_Trade_Seer · Post #20 » by **The_Trade_Seer** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 10:21 pm

1. Kobe - Will hold just about every Laker small man record there is when he's all said and done

2. Magic - 9 Conference titles and 5 NBA titles, nuff said.

3. Kareem - Played for Lakers longer than Shaq which is the only real reason he`s above the Diesel

4. Shaq - 4 Conference titles, 3 NBA titles, 3 Finals MVP`s and should get credit as a `contributor` for being the main reason we have Odom and Pau which has lead to 2 more rings since he`s left.

5. West - He`s the Logo, period.

6. Chukwudiebere (Chu Chu) Maduabum - Though a Laker for less than a day, we will never forget him!

7. No one else is even close to the top 6