When a franchise has the history like that of the Los Angeles Lakers, with a number of Hall of Famers who have their jerseys hanging in the rafters, it only makes sense for the current players to pay homage to the past.
Players such as Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, and Shaquille O’Neal give the franchise an esteemed legacy to hold up. Oftentimes players give their all-time starting five for the Lakers, which can bring a number of different variations.
Kyle Kuzma recently did so and now fellow rookie Josh Hart has joined in on the fun.
In an interview with ESPN’s Cari Champion, Hart listed off his five favorite Lakers players of all-time, mixing in some recent players with some in the distant past:
“No order at all. Jerry West, obviously everything he did for the organization on (the court) and as a GM. Shaq, being the most dominant. Kareem, the best scorer. And we’ve got Kobe. Kobe is Kobe. You don’t really have to explain that one. And, Magic.”
It makes sense that Champion would be the one to ask Hart this question as she is a well known, diehard Lakers fan. In fact, Hart gifted her with a bag full of Lakers gear when he made a recent appearance on ESPN’s SportsNation.
Overall, Hart’s list is an impressive one and very tough to argue with. Kobe and Magic tend to be the two players brought up most often when discussing the greatest Lakers players, West’s legacy as both a player and front office executive is absolutely amazing, and Kareem and Shaq are two of the greatest centers to ever play.
Even with this lineup, players like Elgin Baylor, James Worthy, and Wilt Chamberlain get left off which shows just how untouchable the Lakers history is. Nonetheless, Hart has his favorites down and it is a lineup to be reckoned with.
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