The Los Angeles Lakers are the most prosperous professional basketball franchise in the NBA. Lakers is one of the 30 teams which are part of the men’s basketball association, the National Basketball Association (NBA) of North America. It is an integral element of the Western Conference of the league. The esteemed team has a stunning record of winning 16 NBA championships, the second-best in the league.
The team came into existence in 1947 when they initially went by the name of “Minneapolis Lakers” and has since been thriving successfully. Its popularity and fan-base across both the Conferences and celebrity support during its games shows how immensely popular this team has been.
Los Angeles Lakers History
The journey of this highly celebrated team began in 1947. A team Detroit Gems was part of the National Basketball League (NBL). The team was dissolved in 1947 and was on the brink of disappearance when Ben Merger and Morris Chalfen came forward as saviours and purchased it from its owner Maury Winston. They subsequently reincarnated it into the “Minneapolis Lakers”.
The new owners shifted the new franchise to Minnesota. John Kundla was recruited as their headmost coach.
After their establishment, the Lakers played their inaugural championship, the 1948 season of the NBL, and emerged as champions. The basketball legend, renowned George Mikan, was the centrepiece of the freshly created team. The NBL later merged with the Basketball Association of America (BAA) after the completion of its 1948-49 season to form the present-day National Basketball Association (NBA). Eventually, the Lakers became part of the NBA.
During the 1960s, the then owner of the franchise, Robert Short, decided to locate the team to Los Angeles and they then became the first West Conference team of the NBA.
Los Angeles Lakers Owners
Minneapolis businessman, Ben Berger, and sports entertainment executive, Morris Chalfen are accredited for being the original owners of the Los Angeles Lakers club. After the team, Detroit Gems was dissolved in 1947, Berger and Chalfen redeemed it from their owner Maury Winston, purchasing it for $15,000. Soon after, Max Winter, the general manager of the club, took over the ownership of 1/3rd of the franchise before selling it to George Mikan in 1954. Berger and Chalfen held the ownership of the franchise for 10 years then sold it to Robert Short in 1957. Short relocated the franchise to Los Angeles after three years of his ownership. In 1965, Jack Kent Cooke bought the team for $5 million from Robert Short and moved the team to The Forum in California.
The professional team finally landed in the hands of Dr Jerry Buss who purchased it for $20 million who owned the team till 2013, the year he died. The team is currently owned by the Buss Family Trust, a trust run by the six children of Dr Jerry Buss.
Owners along with their timeline of Ownerships are enlisted below:-
| Owners | Years of ownership |
| Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen | 1948-1957 |
| Robert Earl Short | 1957-1965 |
| Jack Kent Cooke | 1965-1979 |
| Dr. Jerry Buss | 1979-2013 |
| Buss Family Trust and Philip Anschutz | 2013-2019 |
Los Angeles Lakers Team valuation
The Los Angeles Lakers are, beyond question, one of the most successful teams of the NBA and hold dazzling market value. The franchise value has been roaring in terms of its valuation over the years. As of February 2020, the estimated market value of the team stands at a staggering $4.4 billion, second only to The New York Knicks which stands at $4.6 billion. The average ticket price of its home matches at the Staples Centre was $150 during the 2018-19 season. The revenue of the team amounted to $434 million in 2020. It saw a 19% increase in its value as compared to 2019.
Los Angeles Lakers Players
Current Rosters
| Player | Number | Height | Position |
| Kostas Antetokounmpo | 37 | 6’10” | Forward |
| Avery Bradley | 11 | 6’3″ | Guard |
| Devontae Cacok | 12 | 6’8″ | Forward |
| Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | 1 | 6’5″ | Guard |
| Alex Caruso | 4 | 6’5″ | Guard |
| Quinn Cook | 28 | 6’1″ | Guard |
| Anthony Davis | 3 | 6’10” | Forward-center |
| Jared Dudley | 10 | 6’6″ | Forward |
| Danny Green | 14 | 6’6″ | Guard |
| Talen Horton-Tucker | 5 | 6’4″ | Guard |
| Dwight Howard | 39 | 6’10” | Center-forward |
| LeBron James | 23 | 6’9″ | Forward |
| Kyle Kuzma | 0 | 6’8″ | Forward |
| JaVale McGee | 7 | 7’0″ | Center-Forward |
| Markeiff Morris | 88 | 6’8″ | Forward |
| Rajon Rondo | 9 | 6’1″ | Guard |
| Dion Waiters | 18 | 6’3″ | Guard |
Notable Alumni Players
The Los Angeles Lakers team boasts of a stellar batch of alumni. George Mikan (Mr.Basketball), Kobe Bryant (Black Mamba), Shaquille O’Neal (Shaq), Magic Johnson (Magic), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (The tower from power), Jerry West (Mr Clutch), Jamal Wilkes (Silk) are some of the legendary players who have played for this renowned team and have contributed in its massive success.
Related posts:
LeBron had a triple-double as Lakers record 120-116 overtime win over Nuggets
Spurs’ guard Marco Bellinelli offers financial aid to the Italy hospitals amid COVID-19 outbreak
Los Angeles Lakers Sign J.R. Smith Ahead of NBA Season Restart
Bradley Beal to travel to Orlando with Washington Wizards, unsure of playing