Lakers Podcast: Where Would Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal And Others Wind Up In Lakers All-Time Draft

Trevor Lane
2 Min Read
Brian Drake-NBAE via Getty Images

The Los Angeles Lakers have had a number of stars wear their jersey over the years, from dominant bigs like Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to breathtaking guards like Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, and Jerry West.

The rafters of the Staples Center are filled with the names and numbers of the players who have captivated the fanbase and driven the franchise to new heights.

Given the team’s storied past, we decided that for this episode of the Lakers Nation Podcast, we would do a fantasy draft featuring the all-time great Lakers. Host Trevor Lane was joined by Hannah Kulik, Nikki Kay and Denise Jones to battle it out and see who could create the best roster possible.

Each team would consist of five players, with the panel having to select not just a player but also the year that they played for the team, which added a bit more strategy to the exercise.

During the draft, it quickly became apparent that each LN staffer had their own approach for besting the competition.

Kulik focused on wing players while Lane took an unconventional route and built around two dominant centers. Jones and Kay, meanwhile, attempted to build well-rounded rosters that had players ready for big moments.

When the final pick was made each of our experts felt confident that they had selected the best squad, though perhaps more importantly, it was impressive just how deep the player pool was. Even in the final picks, there were incredible talents available, showing just how rich the Lakers’ history truly is.

Who walked away with the best team? Click on the link above to give the show a listen and then respond in the comments below.

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Trevor Lane is a longtime NBA and Los Angeles Lakers fan who had the good fortune to grow up during the glory days of the Showtime Lakers, when Magic Johnson, Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and the rest ruled the Great Western Forum. He has written about basketball, soccer, fantasy sports, MMA, and even pro wrestling over the course of his career, but the spectacle that is the Lakers is his true passion. He made the leap into podcasting for Lakers Nation and provides voice-over analysis for our YouTube channel. With a who's who of stars gracing the Lakers lineup over the years, including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Pau Gasol, and many others, the Lakers always provide plenty to talk about. When he isn't writing or recording, Trevor can be found spending time with his wife and daughter or on the sidelines for one of the youth teams he coaches. Outside of the Lakers, Trevor is a supporter of the LA Galaxy, US Soccer, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Contact: trevor@mediumlargela.com