Who is the most iconic Laker - Magic/Kobe/Lebron?

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by bkcardcollector

I like this list. For Kareem, Wilt, Shaq and Lebron, they were all traded to LA. Your list were Lakers throughout their careers.

Technically, don't forget Kobe was traded to the Lakers

[bkcardcollector]

hahah, i knew it was a big statement to make. I thought somebody was going to say Mikan actually played for the Cleveland Plumbers at one point. lol

[Tallboy]

Originally Posted by bkcardcollector

hahah, i knew it was a big statement to make. I thought somebody was going to say Mikan actually played for the Cleveland Plumbers at one point. lol

He played for the Chicago American Gears, and won his first NBL title with them. That team was poised to become the great early dynasty of the NBA, but it didn't happen. Why?

The owner was too ambitious. After the NBL title, he looked to start a new league rather than keep playing in the NBL or join the BAA (which would become the NBA). He ran out of money, and the newly formed Minneapolis Lakers were able to get Mikan. The rest is history: Lakers win the next NBL title, and then the next year the BAA makes the best NBL teams an offer they can't refuse, and the Lakers switch leagues.

It's funny to think about what might have been. The Gears could easily have ended up becoming the established Chicago team - making it so that the Bulls would never exist - and meanwhile, while some other team would end up in LA, it's entirely possible none of us would ever have heard of the "Lakers".

So yeah, Lakers have a history of getting existing pros to join their team that goes back before LA and before the NBA.

But of course they aren't alone. The Detroit Pistons exist today because a business man in Fort Wayne, Indiana decided to pay more money than anyone else, and brought an East Coast pro like Bobby McDermott to his club. Back then, the richest teams made a habit of treating poorer teams like farm teams and plucking their talent as it emerged.

[Tallboy]

Originally Posted by bkcardcollector

I like this list. For Kareem, Wilt, Shaq and Lebron, they were all traded to LA. Your list were Lakers throughout their careers.

I'm with you that it matters if someone was really a Laker for the entirety of their prime run.

I will say, I think Kareem & Shaq had the potential to be perceived that way anyway, but for different reasons, were not. Kareem because he's just not charismatic - despite being extremely intelligent - Shaq because he basically tried to set the Lakers on fire on the way out.

[bkcardcollector]

Originally Posted by Tallboy

He played for the Chicago American Gears, and won his first NBL title with them. That team was poised to become the great early dynasty of the NBA, but it didn't happen. Why?

The owner was too ambitious. After the NBL title, he looked to start a new league rather than keep playing in the NBL or join the BAA (which would become the NBA). He ran out of money, and the newly formed Minneapolis Lakers were able to get Mikan. The rest is history: Lakers win the next NBL title, and then the next year the BAA makes the best NBL teams an offer they can't refuse, and the Lakers switch leagues.

It's funny to think about what might have been. The Gears could easily have ended up becoming the established Chicago team - making it so that the Bulls would never exist - and meanwhile, while some other team would end up in LA, it's entirely possible none of us would ever have heard of the "Lakers".

So yeah, Lakers have a history of getting existing pros to join their team that goes back before LA and before the NBA.

But of course they aren't alone. The Detroit Pistons exist today because a business man in Fort Wayne, Indiana decided to pay more money than anyone else, and brought an East Coast pro like Bobby McDermott to his club. Back then, the richest teams made a habit of treating poorer teams like farm teams and plucking their talent as it emerged.

Amazing!, I was close.

Chicago sure went through there bball teams, Stags, Zephyrs...

[21Pittsburgh58]

Man, I miss Kobe! But the answer is Magic.

[JCL Trading]

Kobe is easily the most iconic but Kareem was the best Laker. Lebron would have been if he’d come earlier in his career.

[tconte]

Magic then second to Jabbar or Chamberlain

[Orangejello727]

Im going with Irvin M Fletcher as my #1

Fletch Lives baby!!

[Tallboy]

Originally Posted by bkcardcollector

Amazing!, I was close.

Chicago sure went through there bball teams, Stags, Zephyrs...

Indeed. Until pro basketball reached a certain level of popularity, it was actually easier to succeed in smaller towns. Lower cost, less competition for attendance.

It's worth noting that the two great pre-NBA New York pro teams (Original Celtics & Harlem Renaissance) were primarily barnstorming clubs who made their bread going from town to town through the country rather than relying on the NYC market itself.

I'll also add that the original really successful Chicago team was the Harlem Globetrotters, who not only relied on barnstorming, but didn't even use the name of the city they were in but instead chose a name from the Black part of NY.

This was also why a team like the Rochester Royals could be so successful early on. While they were in the NBL, most of their schedule was barnstorming, and that's where they got most of their revenue.

The NBA didn't allow their clubs to barnstorm, and this was one of the factors that killed the small markets and pushed them to move to bigger cities.

[88horsepower]

Magic would be my answer, but I could see people going with Kobe if those were the only three options. Kind of depends on what generation you are from. Anyone saying LeBron clearly hasn't been alive very long.

[marinocollector]

Originally Posted by majestik101

Magic. Magic. Magic.

Not even a debate.

What's with the dumb threads on Blowout all of a sudden.

Schools out

[Asian62150]

Magic.

He got involved with all facets of the organization after his playing days. Player, coach, GM, prez, ambassador, etc...He brought Showtime to LA and made the Lakers what they are today (all the celebs, glitz, and glamour).

[GOATcards]

Originally Posted by Orangejello727

Im going with Irvin M Fletcher as my #1

Fletch Lives baby!!

this would be most iconic Lakers forward in a movie, but it's not like there was competition in that 3/4 position from the likes of Magic, Kobe, Jerry, Shaq, or Kareem, I guess that leaves Baylor, James, Davis, and Fletcher as the remaining candidates at F?

[GOATcards]

So the Lakers all-time starting Five is something like Magic, Kobe, Kareem, LeBron, Elgin, with Jerry, Wilt, Shaq coming off the bench?

You are left to choose from . . . MJ, Chef, Bird, Timmy, Russell as your starting five, whoever off the bench (KD, Hakeem, ), which team or starting five wins?

[Asian62150]

Originally Posted by GOATcards

So the Lakers all-time starting Five is something like Magic, Kobe, Kareem, LeBron, Elgin, with Jerry, Wilt, Shaq coming off the bench?

You are left to choose from . . . MJ, Chef, Bird, Timmy, Russell as your starting five, whoever off the bench (KD, Hakeem, ), which team or starting five wins?

Yeah but if you have LeBron, you can only use his Laker years, right? So 50% chance he won't play given his availability with the purple and gold?

I think you bring Laker LeBron off the bench and start Jerry. Trade Shaquille or Wilt for more shooting and D.

Haha. I'd take the non-Laker starting 5.

[MJGOAT23]

Timing is everything, so it's Magic. Showtime. The smile. The titles. I would also contend that if Kobe's career came and went before Magic's, he'd be the answer.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by GOATcards

So the Lakers all-time starting Five is something like Magic, Kobe, Kareem, LeBron, Elgin, with Jerry, Wilt, Shaq coming off the bench?

You are left to choose from . . . MJ, Chef, Bird, Timmy, Russell as your starting five, whoever off the bench (KD, Hakeem, ), which team or starting five wins?

Counting only Lakers years?
Magic
West
Kobe
Baylor
Shaq

If we are talking about at their peak even if they weren't on the Lakers at the time
Magic
Kobe
Baylor
LeBron
Chamberlain

Non Lakers starting 5
Oscar Robertson
Michael Jordan
Kevin Durant or Dr J
Tim Duncan or Larry Bird
Bill Russell

[gomiamigo]

Originally Posted by Hellcat

Bro horrible take and this is why. If any of those guys on your list played with arguably the most dominant center in his prime and half their career of course his scoring a average is going to take a hit!

So you agree Magic was better then? Cool.


Durant is such a much better scorer than Kobe and it's not even close.
eFG% 48.2 vs 54.6%.

We know which player has the really crappy low one, and it's Kobe. His is the absolute worst of any player in the top 10 alltime list.

Solid chance KD passes Kobe on the scoring totals list also, but he's gotta stay healthy for ~5 more years or less, depending.

[gomiamigo]

Oscar
MJ
Bird
Duncan
Moses [or Akeem]

would win.

You could swap prime Iverson for Oscar and the Lakers don't have a single player who could hope to cover him. We all saw Kobe try and completely fail at it.

[Cactuspies]

ac green for keeping his v card through his NBA career

[Hellcat]

Originally Posted by gomiamigo

So you agree Magic was better then? Cool.


Durant is such a much better scorer than Kobe and it's not even close.
eFG% 48.2 vs 54.6%.

We know which player has the really crappy low one, and it's Kobe. His is the absolute worst of any player in the top 10 alltime list.

Solid chance KD passes Kobe on the scoring totals list also, but he's gotta stay healthy for ~5 more years or less, depending.

Bro horrible takes. What are you doing even bringing up Durant into this conversation? Weak sauce man you need to sell all your Durants while you can still get .10 on the $1. Complete head case shame on you bringing this clown into the Kobe vs Magic discussion. Again Durant says Kobe is the 2nd best player behind MJ you need to follow your boys ranking. You can hand pick any stat you want pal to prop up a player or back an agenda. You should be ashamed of your post it was just pathetic.

[Chicosbailbonds]

Kareem
Magic
Kobe
West
Baylor

[Hellcat]

Originally Posted by Chicosbailbonds

Kareem
Magic
Kobe
West
Baylor

Thanks for your ranking gramps.

[Collector only]

Originally Posted by Orangejello727

Im going with Irvin M Fletcher as my #1

Fletch Lives baby!!

Awesome card! Do they list his height on the back, without and with the Afro?

As much as I am a fan of Fletch, the answer here is Magic.