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When it first emerged that the Los Angeles Lakers had traded for Luka Dončić, everyone unanimously agreed that the report was fake. That’s how seismic the trade was for the Lakers.
When LeBron James inevitably reaches the end of his career, the Lakers’ future will be in limbo, with uncertainty looming as “King James” continues to defy Father Time.
Now, the Lakers’ future is in great hands. However, while Dončić’s reputation speaks for itself, whether he’ll be the Lakers’ next legend is up in the air. The Lakers’ legends who came before him set a difficult precedent to live up to. Just look at some of these names.
George Mikan
Unanimously agreed upon as the first superstar in NBA history, George Mikan helped the Lakers win five titles in Minneapolis. He signed with the franchise back in 1947. Beforehand, he spent two years with the Chicago American Gears in the National Basketball League, the predecessor to the NBA.
Jerry West
Although he won fewer championships than Mikan, Jerry West set the example for the NBA guards who came after him. His play was so iconic that he became the NBA’s trademark logo.
Elgin Baylor
Elgin Baylor was one of the NBA’s first truly elite scorers. His archetype as a player was pretty ahead of its time. That makes it all the sadder that he never won a title in his NBA career, but he was extremely difficult to stop at his peak.
Wilt Chamberlain
The most dominant player in NBA history statistically, Wilt Chamberlain set the tone for how good a player can be individually from a numbers standpoint. It may not have resulted in many titles, but there’s a reason why when someone points to a player’s dominance, they say, “He put up Wilt-numbers.”
Kareem Abul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was not just one of the best players in NBA history at his peak; his longevity was also undeniable. From start to finish, he was consistently at the very top among his NBA peers. No one could stop him and his iconic sky-hook. In fact, his case as the greatest player of all time doesn’t get discussed enough.
Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson helped the NBA reach new heights of popularity because he played fast and like he had eyes in the back of his head. An oversized, do-it-all point guard made him the primary ingredient on the “Showtime” Lakers. One can only imagine what could have been had his career not prematurely ended in 1991 (though he played again in 1996).
James Worthy
He may have been the third banana on those Kareem-Magic teams, but he was one of the best wings of his era, nonetheless. James Worthy wasn’t considered the best player on those Lakers, but there’s a fair argument that the Lakers wouldn’t have won nearly as many titles without his all-around skills.
Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O’Neal was one of the most dominant centers of his era and in NBA history. Unlike Chamberlain, he had no equal during his playing days. He was a true freak of nature, an incredible athlete, and a maestro in the post despite his overall mass. O’Neal was so good that teams invented “Hack-a-Shaq” as the primary way to slow him down.
Kobe Bryant
Love him or hate him, Kobe Bryant was one of the NBA’s biggest trendsetters in the 21st century. His one-on-one dominance and his elite defense made him one of the best shooting guards ever. Even years after his tragic death, players still coin the term “Mamba Mentality” after all these years because of Bryant’s rep and his nickname “The Black Mamba.” That includes the newest Lakers’ superstar.
Pau Gasol
As good as Bryant was, those Lakers teams in the late 2000s and early 2010s would not have won a thing without Pau Gasol. Gasol was one of the best offensive bigs of his era and gave Bryant his best partner-in-crime after O’Neal skipped town. Consistently a threat for 20-10 every night, Gasol was always a threat at his peak.
LeBron James
James hasn’t been the player with the Lakers as he was for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, and it doesn’t matter. He brought another championship to the Lakers and is still good enough to be the best player on a title team. He’s not consistently as dominant as he was, but he’s shown that when he’s got it going, he is still excellent at almost every facet of the game, which is unbelievable at 40.
Anthony Davis
What better way to end this than to reference the player the Lakers sent back for Dončić? Anthony Davis may have been fragile, but he was a two-way terror for the Lakers when he was on the floor. He’s tough to score, tough to stop when he has the ball, and is an all-around menace on defense. The Lakers went through a roller coaster when he was there, but he was the big man partner James had in mind when they acquired him.
Dončić is already a pretty accomplished player, but he’s got a lot to prove if he wants to join this esteemed company.