First Team
Magic Johnson – PG
Jerry West – SG
Kobe Bryant – SF
Pau Gasol – PF
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – C
Picking the franchise’s all-time first team was relatively easy. But I did bend the rules a little bit at the small forward position. Instead of having to make the near impossible decision to leave Kobe or West off the team, I slid Kobe to small forward (he has played at the position sporadically throughout his career) to make room for both of the Laker legends.
Both players have legitimate arguments for being the best Laker of all-time, more or less the best shooting guard.
Pau Gasol stands out like a sore thumb with the other members of the first team. But the Lakers don’t’ necessarily have a tradition of great power forwards.
Also, Gasol has been remarkably good in his time with the Lakers. Two championships, three All-Star Teams and three All-NBA Teams highlight the Spaniard’s resume.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeXZY4eVLlo
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8rjREaql2U
