Los Angeles

Lakers

WesternPacific17× NBA Champions

Est. 1947Crypto.com ArenaJJ Redick

Team Overview

About the Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are more than a basketball team — they are a global brand synonymous with showtime, star power, and championship pedigree. With 17 NBA titles spanning from the Minneapolis era to the modern Crypto.com Arena, the Lakers have consistently attracted the most transcendent talents the sport has ever produced: George Mikan, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James. No other franchise can match that lineage.

What makes the Lakers culturally distinct is the intersection of basketball excellence and entertainment capital. Playing in Los Angeles means every home game is a production, every season is a storyline, and every roster move is front-page news worldwide. The Showtime Lakers of the 1980s didn't just win five championships — they turned fast-break basketball into an art form that filled the Forum with Hollywood celebrities and redefined what NBA entertainment could be. Kobe and Shaq's three-peat from 2000 to 2002 brought a ruthless efficiency that dominated the league. And Kobe's solo run to titles four and five in 2009 and 2010 cemented his legacy as one of the fiercest competitors in sports history.

The Lakers' mystique extends beyond wins and losses. This is a franchise where jersey retirements feel like state ceremonies, where the rivalry with Boston has shaped league history for seven decades, and where young players either rise to the occasion or are consumed by the pressure of wearing purple and gold. For basketball students, analysts, and fans who want to understand why certain franchises command outsized attention, the Lakers are the definitive case study in sustained excellence meeting cultural gravity.

Franchise Facts

Founded1947

ArenaCrypto.com Arena

ConferenceWestern

DivisionPacific

Head CoachJJ Redick

Championships17

Leadership

Front Office & Coaching

Owner / Governor

Jeanie Buss (Buss Family Trust)

Wikipedia

Head Coach

JJ Redick

Wikipedia

General Manager

Rob Pelinka

Wikipedia

Assistant Coaches

Nate McMillan(Associate Head Coach)

Scott Brooks(Lead Assistant)

Lindsey Harding(Assistant Coach)

17Championships

32Conference Titles

24Division Titles

Championship History

Minneapolis Era

1949

vs Washington Capitols

4-2

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1950

vs Syracuse Nationals

4-2

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1952

vs New York Knicks

4-3

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1953

vs New York Knicks

4-1

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1954

vs Syracuse Nationals

4-3

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Championship Era

1972

vs New York Knicks

4-1

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Showtime Era

1980

vs Philadelphia 76ers

4-2

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1982

vs Philadelphia 76ers

4-2

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1985

vs Boston Celtics

4-2

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1987

vs Boston Celtics

4-2

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1988

vs Detroit Pistons

4-3

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Shaq & Kobe Era

2000

vs Indiana Pacers

4-2

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2001

vs Philadelphia 76ers

4-1

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2002

vs New Jersey Nets

4-0

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Spurs Dynasty

2009

vs Orlando Magic

4-1

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2010

vs Boston Celtics

4-3

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Recent Champions

2020

vs Miami Heat

4-2

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Current Roster

2026–2027 Season

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Point Guards(1)

Doncic

Shooting Guards(7)

Reaves

James

Carr

Knecht

Bufkin

Kennard

Smart

Small Forwards(2)

Thiero

James

Power Forwards(4)

LaRavia

Vanderbilt

Kleber

Hachimura

Centers(2)

Ayton

Hayes

Franchise Legends

Icons who defined the franchise's identity

Elgin Baylor

Gail Goodrich

Jamaal Wilkes

James Worthy

Jerry West

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kobe Bryant

Magic Johnson

Shaquille O'Neal

All-Time Greats

Los Angeles Lakers Players in NBA All-Time Top 10

Magic Johnson

#1Assists(11.19 apg)

LeBron James

#1Scoring(8,162+ points)

LeBron James

#1Triple-Doubles(30+)

Kobe Bryant

#1Scoring(60 points)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

#1Field Goals(15,837 FGM)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

#1Minutes(57,446 min)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

#2Games(1,560 games)

LeBron James

#2Minutes(56,000+ min)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

#2Scoring(38,387 points)

Magic Johnson

#3Triple-Doubles(138 triple-doubles)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

#3Rebounds(17,440 rebounds)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

#3Blocks(3,189 blocks)

LeBron James

#3Field Goals(14,837 FGM)

LeBron James

#3Free Throws(8,600+ FTM)

Kobe Bryant

#4Free Throws(8,378 FTM)

LeBron James

#4Assists(11,000+ assists)

Kobe Bryant

#6Field Goals(11,719 FGM)

Shaquille O'Neal

#7Field Goals(11,330 FGM)

Kobe Bryant

#8Minutes(48,637 min)

Shaquille O'Neal

#8Blocks(2,732 blocks)

Luka Doncic

#9Triple-Doubles(60+ triple-doubles)

Shaquille O'Neal

#9Scoring(28,596 points)

Jerry West

#9Free Throws(7,160 FTM)

View all NBA rankings

Retired Numbers

Numbers raised to the rafters forever

Kobe Bryant

1996-2016

Wilt Chamberlain

1968-1973

Elgin Baylor

1958-1972

Kobe Bryant

1996-2016

Gail Goodrich

1965-1968, 1970-1976

Magic Johnson

1979-1991, 1996

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

1975-1989

Shaquille O'Neal

1996-2004

James Worthy

1982-1994

Jerry West

1960-1974

Jamaal Wilkes

1977-1985

The Story

Franchise History

The Los Angeles Lakers are the most storied franchise in NBA history, tied with the Celtics for the most championships at 17. Founded as the Minneapolis Lakers in 1947, the team won five of the first six BAA/NBA championships behind George Mikan — the league's first dominant big man. After relocating to Los Angeles in 1960, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor built a legacy of excellence. The "Showtime" era of the 1980s — featuring Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy under coach Pat Riley — defined an era of fast-break basketball and Hollywood glamour, winning five titles. Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant's partnership delivered a three-peat (2000-2002), and Kobe added two more titles in 2009-2010 before his tragic passing in 2020. LeBron James brought championship #17 to LA in the 2020 NBA Bubble. The Lakers' combination of on-court excellence and cultural significance makes them the most globally recognized basketball franchise.