5 Greatest players in Los Angeles Lakers' franchise history
The Los Angeles Lakers have been in the forefront of every conversation this summer leading up to the new 2018/19 NBA season. After signing Lebron James in free agency, everyone is questioning whether or not they will be able to improve their 16 NBA titles to tie with the Boston Celtics as the most successful franchise in basketball history.
While they enter a new era led by one of the greatest players of all time in LeBron James, we take a look back at the best to ever put on a Lakers jersey.
#5 Jerry West
Career Averages:
27.0 Points
5.8 Rebounds
6.7 Assists
'The Logo', picked 2nd overall in the 1960 draft for the Lakers, Jerry West quickly showed why he was taken so high in the draft.
10 time All-NBA first team, 14-time All-Star, 1972 NBA Champion and the first and last person to ever win Finals MVP in a losing Championship run as they lost to the Celtics in a 7-game series in 1969.
Also known as "Mr. Clutch" for his knack of scoring clutch baskets to win crucial games, most famously a 60-foot buzzer beater to tie in game 3 of the 1970 finals series against the New York Knicks.
Not only a one of a kind player, West also took over as the head coach of the Lakers for three years, getting into the playoffs each year and earned a Western Conference Finals appearance. West was also named General Manager of the Lakers in 1982 and managed to win six championships under his reign.