NBA franchise story

Los Angeles Lakers

No franchise has moved more seamlessly from one superstar era to another: Mikan, West and Baylor, Kareem and Magic, Shaq and Kobe, then Kobe's second act and the LeBron–Davis title.

Every era · The defining players · Five essential games

The franchise timeline

Every era of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Move through the franchise chronologically. The jerseys identify each chapter’s central cast, and every curated card opens the complete story of that era.

Historical reference: Los Angeles Lakers official team history ↗

The beginning

Franchise era

1948–49—1959–60

George Mikan

Jim Pollard

Vern Mikkelsen

Mikan creates the league's first power

The Minneapolis dynasty

The Lakers won five championships in six seasons around Mikan and established the NBA's first true dynasty.

Read the era story →

Chapter 01

1948–49—1959–60

Franchise era

1960–61—1978–79

Jerry West

Elgin Baylor

Wilt Chamberlain

Los Angeles stardom meets Boston heartbreak

West, Baylor and Wilt

Years of Finals frustration finally ended when the 1971–72 Lakers won 33 straight games and the championship.

Read the era story →

Chapter 02

1960–61—1978–79

Franchise era

1979–80—1990–91

Magic Johnson

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

James Worthy

Magic, Kareem and the fast break

Showtime

Magic's arrival unlocked a glamorous, devastating style that produced nine Finals trips and five titles.

Read the era story →

Chapter 03

1979–80—1990–91

Franchise era

1991–92—1995–96

Vlade Divac

Nick Van Exel

Eddie Jones

The franchise waits for its next stars

Between dynasties

A lively young team bridged the abrupt end of Showtime to the summer that changed the franchise again.

Read the era story →

Chapter 04

1991–92—1995–96

Franchise era

1996–97—2003–04

Shaquille O'Neal

Kobe Bryant

Derek Fisher

Three straight championships and a volatile peak

Shaq and Kobe

O'Neal's interior dominance and Bryant's ascent produced a three-peat before tension and a Finals loss ended the partnership.

Read the era story →

Chapter 05

1996–97—2003–04

Franchise era

2004–05—2011–12

Kobe Bryant

Pau Gasol

Lamar Odom

From scoring burden to back-to-back titles

Kobe's second act

Bryant carried transitional teams, then Gasol's arrival created a skilled, versatile champion in 2009 and 2010.

Read the era story →

Chapter 06

2004–05—2011–12

Franchise era

2012–13—2017–18

Kobe Bryant

Julius Randle

Brandon Ingram

An aging gamble gives way to the lottery

The difficult rebuild

Injuries broke an ambitious veteran roster, and the Lakers spent several years developing young players after Bryant's final run.

Read the era story →

Chapter 07

2012–13—2017–18

Franchise era

2018–19—present

LeBron James

Anthony Davis

Austin Reaves

Superstar reinvention in a new generation

LeBron, Davis and another banner

James and Davis restored the Lakers to the summit with the 2020 championship before another major roster handoff reshaped the future.

Read the era story →

Chapter 08

2018–19—present

Present day

The essential watchlist

Five Los Angeles Lakers games to start with.

Curated from the franchise’s defining eras, championship stakes and the games that still carry its story.

#01 · NBA Finals

Celtics vs Lakers

Apr 18, 1962

#02 · NBA Finals

Lakers vs Celtics

Apr 14, 1962

#03 · NBA Finals

Celtics vs Lakers

May 5, 1969

#04 · NBA Finals

Knicks vs Lakers

May 8, 1970

#05 · NBA Finals

Lakers vs 76ers

May 16, 1980

Season history

Past seasons

78 seasons · newest first

Game archive

Los Angeles Lakers games

6,968 total · loaded 10 at a time