During the recent Dodgers All-Access gathering at Dodger Stadium, Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson was asked to identify the five greatest players in Los Angeles Lakers history. Despite calling the task “impossible,” the longtime Lakers icon offered an immediate list.
“Kobe (Bryant) is one, with Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar),” Johnson told the crowd. He praised Bryant’s “killer mentality” and Abdul-Jabbar’s famed skyhook and basketball IQ. Rounding out his choices, Johnson added Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West, noting that he never played alongside Chamberlain or West but felt both deserved inclusion.
Johnson acknowledged several other Lakers who just missed his cut. He cited James Worthy and LeBron James as worthy candidates and reminded fans that “you can’t include the Lakers without Magic,” though he deliberately left himself off the list. “If you gather all our Hall of Famers,” he said, “we would beat any team.”
The conversation highlighted the franchise’s deep history, which Johnson compared favorably with the tradition of the Los Angeles Dodgers, co-hosts of the event.
Jeanie Buss on Luka Dončić’s Adjustment
The article of Lakers lore also pointed to the future. Team governor Jeanie Buss said rising star Luka Dončić, preparing for his first full season in purple and gold, is “finally embracing” life as a Laker after initial disappointment over the trade that brought him to Los Angeles. Buss traveled to Poland to support Dončić during EuroBasket and believes the guard has grown comfortable with his new franchise.
Source: Lakers Nation
