Uh...what about Jerry Buss who urged his execs to be BOLD. Wiyhout him we may not even be discussing this....so MANY great players...such great TEAMS. What a ride so far...such joy!!!
marty - 12 years ago
Too early to tell. Each has to be judged by his the quality of his peers at the time he played. Kareem was unstoppable, Magic sadly didn't have enough time. What about Wilt? He was the most dominant player of his time. West was my personal favorite player, but a lack of championships is an impediment.
If Kobe can stay amazingly "youthful" and maintain his unbelieveable mental toughness he MAY be the one...time will tell.
Adam - 12 years ago
I love Magic and he is my favorite, but Kobe is the best player. He is the best player of his time. Jordan was the best of his time and Bill before that. The league is difeernt each decade, zone defenses and better athletes ect... Kobe is unreal in his scoring specially with zone defences. Jordan never played against a zone...Kobe will go down as the greatest Laker ever, maybe even the best ever but Magic had 'Magic'.
syx - 12 years ago
so many people point out the views of why kobe is not the all laker. kobe is a living playing legend. kobe has done things and still playing. he scores and he also gets assists. for a shooting guard, he keeps 5 assists. he has lead his team for years in assists, in a system where a point guard is not traditional. kobe has played through a rebuilding team twice and came out with 5 rings. kobe has fought many injuries and he continue to play and at full speed. kobe went a whole playoff series as one of the prime stars and didnt receive a single free throw until the final game. he is the only person in my life time, that has to deal with not shooting enough and in the same breath, shooting to much. he is judged on the highest level of any star in my life time. he is compared to the greatest so that he cant ever achieve his own greatness. so, before you say why he is not, try saying why he should. if u notice, i didnt speak on one single offensive number. kobe, you are the greatest laker to ever suit up, hands down.
A.H. Davis II - 12 years ago
I chose Magic, all day, but I believe Steven H Brown is correct on this point...it has to be Jerry West. In my view, Magic is the greatest Lakers player but the greatest Laker period has to be West. With all of these Hall of Famers, it must feel good just to be in the discussion of the greatest ever!
Marco Montanucci - 12 years ago
Kobe is definitely a real champion but Laker's history is full of players that deserve our respect and attention. I think that we have to consider not only the stats to judge a player.
Kobe belongs to the same category of player of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain and the same Shaq, but it's hard to say which player is the best among them. Surely he's great!
Disun A Shinn Sr. - 12 years ago
Have you guys forgot about the NBA all time scorer in KAREEM ABDUL JABBAR???? Why do you guys continue to not give the big man his props. I don't need to tell you his stats and rings. I'm not a Laker fan (KNICKS ALL DAY BABY), but facts and stats points at the only man bad enough to put a black footprint on the chest of Bruce Lee. LOL
Joey G - 12 years ago
Earvin "Magic" Johnson, bar none. He stands alone at the top!
AK - 12 years ago
Jerry West is #1 followed very closely by Magic at #2. Kobe is good, but not that good to be #1 Laker! He is a ball hog.
AK
jose lopez - 12 years ago
i thingk is shaq
jose - 12 years ago
Jerry west is #1 for the reasons mr brown gave and magic a close #2. Kobe would be my #3b or 4, him and kaj in those slots, wilt #5....
bill - 12 years ago
Love KObe. Amazing his tenacity and longevity...but when he gets a 6th ring he gets my vote. Until then, Magic is the man...still.
Arthur Yee Chang - 12 years ago
Hey KOBE!! Congratulations my good man!! Youre the best and my favoirte basketball player that ever lived on the face of this earth eventhough you don't have all the records yet!! Love you KOBE!!!
Art
Steven H Brown - 12 years ago
Even though he now consults for the Golden State Warriors, and you'd have to get straight answers from Jerry Buss, as to how that can be, Jerry West is obviously the greatest laker of all time. he was amazing on the court, and a champion, as a GM. he was the GM of all those showtime teams, and he brought Shaq & Kobe to the Lakers in the same year! You might forget, that the Charlotte Hornets drafted Kobe, and West traded Vlade Divac, for Kobe on draft day, before he signed Shaq as a free agent! LA has never had a parade for the Lakers, that Jerry West didn't have a hand in. Jerry West is the Greatest Laker ever!
Uh...what about Jerry Buss who urged his execs to be BOLD. Wiyhout him we may not even be discussing this....so MANY great players...such great TEAMS. What a ride so far...such joy!!!
Too early to tell. Each has to be judged by his the quality of his peers at the time he played. Kareem was unstoppable, Magic sadly didn't have enough time. What about Wilt? He was the most dominant player of his time. West was my personal favorite player, but a lack of championships is an impediment.
If Kobe can stay amazingly "youthful" and maintain his unbelieveable mental toughness he MAY be the one...time will tell.
I love Magic and he is my favorite, but Kobe is the best player. He is the best player of his time. Jordan was the best of his time and Bill before that. The league is difeernt each decade, zone defenses and better athletes ect... Kobe is unreal in his scoring specially with zone defences. Jordan never played against a zone...Kobe will go down as the greatest Laker ever, maybe even the best ever but Magic had 'Magic'.
so many people point out the views of why kobe is not the all laker. kobe is a living playing legend. kobe has done things and still playing. he scores and he also gets assists. for a shooting guard, he keeps 5 assists. he has lead his team for years in assists, in a system where a point guard is not traditional. kobe has played through a rebuilding team twice and came out with 5 rings. kobe has fought many injuries and he continue to play and at full speed. kobe went a whole playoff series as one of the prime stars and didnt receive a single free throw until the final game. he is the only person in my life time, that has to deal with not shooting enough and in the same breath, shooting to much. he is judged on the highest level of any star in my life time. he is compared to the greatest so that he cant ever achieve his own greatness. so, before you say why he is not, try saying why he should. if u notice, i didnt speak on one single offensive number. kobe, you are the greatest laker to ever suit up, hands down.
I chose Magic, all day, but I believe Steven H Brown is correct on this point...it has to be Jerry West. In my view, Magic is the greatest Lakers player but the greatest Laker period has to be West. With all of these Hall of Famers, it must feel good just to be in the discussion of the greatest ever!
Kobe is definitely a real champion but Laker's history is full of players that deserve our respect and attention. I think that we have to consider not only the stats to judge a player.
Kobe belongs to the same category of player of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain and the same Shaq, but it's hard to say which player is the best among them. Surely he's great!
Have you guys forgot about the NBA all time scorer in KAREEM ABDUL JABBAR???? Why do you guys continue to not give the big man his props. I don't need to tell you his stats and rings. I'm not a Laker fan (KNICKS ALL DAY BABY), but facts and stats points at the only man bad enough to put a black footprint on the chest of Bruce Lee. LOL
Earvin "Magic" Johnson, bar none. He stands alone at the top!
Jerry West is #1 followed very closely by Magic at #2. Kobe is good, but not that good to be #1 Laker! He is a ball hog.
AK
i thingk is shaq
Jerry west is #1 for the reasons mr brown gave and magic a close #2. Kobe would be my #3b or 4, him and kaj in those slots, wilt #5....
Love KObe. Amazing his tenacity and longevity...but when he gets a 6th ring he gets my vote. Until then, Magic is the man...still.
Hey KOBE!! Congratulations my good man!! Youre the best and my favoirte basketball player that ever lived on the face of this earth eventhough you don't have all the records yet!! Love you KOBE!!!
Art
Even though he now consults for the Golden State Warriors, and you'd have to get straight answers from Jerry Buss, as to how that can be, Jerry West is obviously the greatest laker of all time. he was amazing on the court, and a champion, as a GM. he was the GM of all those showtime teams, and he brought Shaq & Kobe to the Lakers in the same year! You might forget, that the Charlotte Hornets drafted Kobe, and West traded Vlade Divac, for Kobe on draft day, before he signed Shaq as a free agent! LA has never had a parade for the Lakers, that Jerry West didn't have a hand in. Jerry West is the Greatest Laker ever!