NBA – A peek into the history of Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers have had a long history and glorious one too that is flooded with accomplishments. They managed to grab numerous royals, not only for the team itself but also for the supporters, coaches and promoters, who have been part of the team that is renowned for its victories in the world of basketball. The history comprises of a long list of successes. Let’s have a look at the world most famous basketball league and their triumphs so far.
The Lakers, to date, have come up with 22 Hall of Famers out of which 16 are players, 4 are head coaches, and 2 are contributors. The players that took the squad to the top include Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Gail Goodrich and George Mikan. The head coach, whose presence confirmed Lakers five titles in 1940-50, is also included in the list. Bill Sharman is another remarkable coach, who guided the Lakers to a title in 1972. The remaining two coaches in the list are Pat Riley and Phil Jackson. The later led the Lakers to five titles during the 2000s. Names like Chick Hearn and Jerry Buss also appear in the list. They added to the fame of the league with their efforts in the promotion department. Chick broadcasted 42 Lakers seasons and Jerry, the 30-year-old owner of the team was known for his efforts for promoting and managing the team.
Another important fact that relates to this superb team is the first round draft picks. Lakers had three first overall picks in NBA. They also had the honour of enjoying two lottery picks, in which Eddie Jones and Andrew Bynum were drafted to the Lakers. In other draft picks, Lakers got hold of Derek Fisher, Elden Campbell and Ronny Turiaf.
One of the reasons behind Lakers unmatched success over the past few years is their competitive head coaches. The history of the team is full of outstanding mentors that have not enjoyed the head coach positions for comparatively longer periods, but have also proved as a formula of success for the team. Till now, the Lakers had 21 head coaches, and the first-ever title was captured under the guidance of John Kundla. The coach that led his team to maximum wins in regular as well as playoff matches was Pat Riley. Riley’s record was equalled by Phil Jackson in 2009 and he managed to attain even more victories in the following season, becoming one the most successful head coaches in the history of the team. Another coach with his name enlisted in the Hall of Fame is Bill Sharman, who once was a professional basketball player. Jackson had already coached the Lakers earlier and then he overtook the team again in 2005-06 season.
Kobe Bryant’s far-sightedness and skill has made him the team captain. Due to his unmatched abilities, he is surely one of the best in the business. Another interesting fact about the team is that it has two foreign players Pau Gasol and Sasha Vujacic, the rest all Americans. With Phil Jackson currently heading the team, the team comprises of six assistant coaches. Gary Vitti is the athletic trainer for the team.
The most notable media personnel for Lakers has been Chick Hearn, who handled the department of broadcasting for Lakers for almost 41 years. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2002. Hearn was very precious to the team and his hard work highlighted Lakers performances by broadcasting 3,338 consecutive games. This helped the league in getting international acknowledgement and world-wide fame. After his death, Paul Sunderland took over Chicks position as Lakers next broadcaster.
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