Los Angeles Lakers Biography: Players, Net Worth, History and Stats

The Los Angeles Lakers are an American Professional Basketball Team based in Los Angeles. They’re a member of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and compete in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The team has a rich history, with 17 championships under their belt, the second most in the league behind the Boston Celtics.

The Lakers were originally founded in 1946 as the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League (NBL) before moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and eventually landing in Los Angeles in 1960. Over the years, they’ve had some incredible players, including Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James.

Los Angeles Lakers Profile

Los Angeles Lakers History

The franchise began in 1946 as the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League (NBL). The Lakers won the 1948 NBL championship before joining the rival Basketball Association of America, where they won the 1949 BAA championship. Following the merger of the NBL and the BAA into the NBA in 1949, the Lakers won four of the next five NBA championships. After struggling financially in the late 1950s, they relocated to Los Angeles before the 1960-61 season.

The Lakers made the NBA Finals six times in the 1960s, but lost every series to the Celtics, beginning their long and storied rivalry. In 1968, the Lakers acquired four-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Wilt Chamberlain and won their sixth NBA title in 1972, led by coach Bill Sharman. After the retirement of Chamberlain, the team traded for superstar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Two big changes came in 1979, first, Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers and pioneered a vision of basketball as entertainment as well as sport. Second, the Lakers drafted Magic Johnson first overall in the 1979 NBA draft. The promotion of head coach Pat Riley in 1981 and the addition of forward James Worthy through the 1982 draft established the Lakers as an NBA powerhouse throughout the 1980s. The franchise won five championships in a nine-year span, including two out of three marquee Finals matchups against the Celtics. The Lakers were defeated by their Boston archrivals in the 1984 Finals but triumphed over them in 1985 and 1987.

After Riley departed and Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, and Worthy retired, the Lakers struggled in the early 1990s. It was not until 1996 when the team traded with the Charlotte Hornets for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant and signed center Shaquille O’Neal that the Lakers returned to dominance during the early 2000s. The superstar duo, along with Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson, led the Lakers to three consecutive championships between 2000 and 2002, securing the franchise’s second “three-peat”. The dynamic “Shaq-and-Kobe” era ended when the Lakers traded away O’Neal after the team lost to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 Finals. It was not until the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol that Bryant and Jackson returned to the NBA Finals, losing to the Celtics in 2008 but winning championships in 2009 and 2010. The 2010 Finals marked the latest matchup of the Lakers and Celtics, with Los Angeles winning its 16th title.

Jackson retired in 2011, and the Lakers endured their longest playoff drought in franchise history. Gasol departed in 2014, and Bryant retired in 2016. After rebuilding seasons with young, highly rated prospects, the Lakers signed superstar LeBron James in 2018. In 2019, the team traded several of those prospects for star big man Anthony Davis. The Lakers—led by James, Davis, and coach Frank Vogel—won the team’s 17th championship in 2020, tying the Celtics for the most titles until 2024.

The Lakers hold the record for the NBA’s longest winning streak, 33 straight games, set in 1971–72.26 Hall of Famers have played for Los Angeles, while four have coached the team. Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, O’Neal, and Bryant won eight NBA MVP awards with the Lakers.

Los Angeles Lakers Stats

These Stats are taken from the NBA’s official website –

Western Conference Teams

The Los Angeles Lakers are currently placed in 5th position in the Points Table of Western Conference teams. The Lakers this season maintained a good win % with 30 wins and 19 losses. They have won their last 8 matches out of 10. It will be interesting how they will play in the upcoming matches. At this point, there is not much difference between the Lakers and the teams at 2nd 3rd, and 4th positions.

Los Angeles Lakers Famous Players

The Los Angeles Lakers have a rich history of talented players. Here are some of the top players from their past:

All-Time Greats

• Kobe Bryant: A five-time NBA champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP, and the Lakers’ all-time leading scorer with 33,643 points.
• Magic Johnson: A five-time NBA champion, three-time NBA MVP, and 12-time All-Star who revolutionized the point guard position.
• LeBron James: A four-time NBA champion, four-time NBA MVP, and 18-time All-Star who led the Lakers to their 17th championship in 2020.
• Shaquille O’Neal: A four-time NBA champion, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and 15-time All-Star who dominated the league in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
• Wilt Chamberlain: A two-time NBA champion, four-time NBA MVP, and 13-time All-Star who holds numerous NBA records, including the most points scored in a single game (100).

Other Notable Players

• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: A six-time NBA champion, six-time NBA MVP, and 19-time All-Star who played for the Lakers from 1975 to 1989.
• James Worthy: A three-time NBA champion, seven-time All-Star, and a key contributor to the Lakers’ dynasty of the 1980s.
• Pau Gasol: A two-time NBA champion, six-time All-Star, and dominant big man who played for the Lakers from 2008 to 2014.
• Dwight Howard: A three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, eight-time All-Star, and dominant center who played for the Lakers from 2012 to 2013.
• Elgin Baylor: A Hall of Fame forward who played for the Lakers from 1958 to 1972 and was an 11-time All-Star.

Los Angeles Lakers Roster

As for their performance, the Lakers are currently 30-19 and sitting at the 5th Position in the Pacific Division. They’ve had some impressive wins, including a 122-97 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in their previous game. LeBron James has been leading the charge, but the team has also seen significant contributions from other players.

Their current stats show:

• Points per game: 117.2
• Opponent points per game: 116.6
• Pace: 101.3

These numbers indicate that the Lakers are a high-scoring team with a fast-paced offense, but they still need to work on their defense.

Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach

On June 24, 2024, the Los Angeles Lakers introduced former NBA player JJ Redick as the team’s new head coach. Redick becomes the 29th coach in the franchise’s history. As per multiple reports, Redick agreed to a four-year deal with the Lakers. He began serving as an NBA analyst for ESPN shortly after his retirement and was the lead analyst for the network’s telecast of the 2024 NBA Finals on ABC.

Redick’s coaching experience is confined to volunteering with his son’s youth teams, but he plans to overcome that gap with his basketball knowledge, personal charisma, experience-packed coaching staff, and an eagerness to innovate. The Los Angeles Lakers have had their fair share of legendary coaches. Here are some of the most notable ones:

• Phil Jackson: Known as the “Zen Master,” Jackson won five NBA championships with the Lakers (2000-2002, 2009-2010) and is the franchise’s all-time leader in regular-season games coached (902) and playoff wins (118).
• Pat Riley: Riley coached the Lakers to four NBA championships (1982, 1985, 1987-1988) and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.
• John Kundla: Kundla was the Lakers’ first coach in the NBA and led the team to five championships (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954).
• Bill Sharman: Sharman coached the Lakers to an NBA championship in 1972 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1976.
• Paul Westhead: Westhead led the Lakers to an NBA championship in 1980, with a rookie Magic Johnson.
• Frank Vogel: Vogel coached the Lakers to an NBA championship in 2020, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Los Angeles Lakers Owner

Jeanie Marie Buss is the controlling owner and president of the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA, and co-owner and promoter of the U.S. women’s professional wrestling promotion Women of Wrestling (WOW).

A daughter of Jerry Buss, who owned the Lakers and other sports businesses, she entered the family business as general manager of the Los Angeles Strings professional tennis team at 19. She later bought the Los Angeles Blades professional roller hockey team. She served as president of the Great Western Forum before becoming vice president of the Lakers. After her father died in 2013, his controlling ownership of the Lakers passed to his six children via a family trust, with each sibling receiving an equal vote. Buss took over as team president and as the Lakers representative on the NBA Board of Governors. In 2020, she became the first female controlling owner to guide her team to an NBA championship, giving her six NBA titles overall as an owner/executive.

Los Angeles Lakers Net Worth

According to Forbes the Los Angeles Lakers have been valued at $6.4 billion since October 2023. This places them as the third most valuable franchise in the NBA, trailing only the Golden State Warriors ($7.7 billion) and the New York Knicks ($7.5 billion).

Their financial footprint is quite extensive, with several key revenue streams contributing to their overall worth. Key Revenue Streams:

• Broadcasting Rights: A long-term agreement with Spectrum SportsNet worth approximately $3 billion over 20 years.
• Merchandise Sales: Significant revenue from jerseys, hats, and other team-branded items.
• Ticket Sales: Substantial revenue from home games at the Crypto.com Arena (previously Staples Center).
• Sponsorships: Numerous sponsors pay to have their logos displayed during games and on team merchandise.

The Lakers’ rich history, star-studded roster, and massive fan base all contribute to their impressive net worth.

Los Angeles Lakers Stadium

Crypto.com Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in downtown Los Angeles. Opened on October 17, 1999, as Staples Center. It is the home venue of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. The Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA also played in the arena from 1999 to 2024, before leaving for their new arena, Intuit Dome, located in Inglewood.

From 1999 to 2024, it was the only arena in the NBA shared by two teams, as well as one of only three North American professional sports venues (alongside SoFi Stadium in nearby Inglewood, and New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium) to have hosted two teams from the same league. The venue is also frequently used for major concerts and has been the most frequent host of the Grammy Awards ceremony since its opening. Crypto.com Arena will also host the gymnastics competition during the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Crypto.com Arena has 950,000 square feet (88,257.9 m2) of total space, with a 94-foot (28.7 m) by 200-foot (61.0 m) arena floor. It stands 150 feet (45.7 m) tall. The arena seats up to 19,067 for basketball, 18,145 for ice hockey, and around 20,000 for concerts or other sporting events. Two-thirds of the arena’s seating, including 2,500 club seats, is in the lower bowl. There are also 160 luxury suites, including 15 event suites, on three levels between the lower and upper bowls. The arena’s attendance record is held by the fight between World WBA Welterweight Champion Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley with a crowd of 20,820, set on January 25, 2009.

Los Angeles Lakers Championships

The Los Angeles Lakers have an impressive 17 NBA championships under their belt. Here’s a breakdown of their championship wins:

• 5 Championships in Minneapolis (1949-1954): The Lakers won five championships in their early years, led by legendary center George Mikan.
• 12 Championships in Los Angeles (1972-2020): The Lakers won their first championship in Los Angeles in 1972, led by Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West. They went on to win multiple championships in the 1980s with Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in the 2000s with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, and in 2020 with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Some notable championship wins include:

• 1980s Three-Peat: The Lakers won three consecutive championships from 1982 to 1985, led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
• 2000s Three-Peat: The Lakers won three consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002, led by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.
• 2020 Championship: The Lakers won their 17th championship in 2020, defeating the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

Los Angeles Lakers Records

The Los Angeles Lakers have a rich history of achievements. Here are some of their notable records:

• – All-Time Record: 3,577-2,473 (.591 winning percentage).
• – Championships: 17 NBA championships, with five in Minneapolis and 12 in Los Angeles.
• – Playoff Appearances: 64 playoff appearances.
• – Consecutive Wins: 33 consecutive wins in the 1971-1972 season, the longest winning streak in NBA history.

Some notable season records include the Best Season Record: 67-15 (.817 winning percentage) in the 1999-2000 season, they also clinched Most Points Scored by Kobe Bryant, with 33,643 points. The Lakers also have the Most Rebounds by Elgin Baylor with 11,463 rebounds and the Most Assists by Magic Johnson, with 10,141 assists.