Minneapolis Lakers

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Lore & Background

The franchise was founded in 1946 as the Detroit Gems, owned solely by C. King Boring, and played in the NBL during the 1946–47 season where it finished last with only 4 wins in 44 games. The team was sold to Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen of Minnesota for $15,000 in June 1947. Minneapolis sportswriter Sid Hartman helped put together the deal and later helped hire John Kundla as the first head coach. The team was re-christened the 'Lakers' in reference to Minnesota's nickname, 'The Land of 10,000 Lakes'. Max Winter became general manager and took an ownership stake. The Lakers acquired George Mikan via the NBL's dispersal draft of the Chicago American Gears' players. With Mikan, coach Kundla, and an infusion of former University of Minnesota players, the Lakers won the NBL championship in their first season. In March 1948, they won the annual World Professional Basketball Tournament, and they went on to win the NBL finals in April. The following season, the Lakers switched to the BAA and won the championship. The next year saw the merger of the NBL and BAA to form the NBA, and the Lakers won the inaugural NBA championship. The Lakers' three-year streak ended in 1951 when they lost to the Rochester Royals in the Western Division Finals, but they rebounded to capture the title for the next three consecutive years, becoming the NBA's first dynasty with six NBL/BAA/NBA championships in seven years. After Mikan's retirement in 1954, the team struggled. In 1957, the team was nearly sold to St. Louis businessmen before a local group led by Bob Short purchased the team for $200,000. The Lakers found their way back to the playoffs in 1957 but lost to the Hawks. The following year, Mikan became head coach but stepped aside after a 9–30 record, and the Lakers finished last with a 19–53 record. Last place meant the first pick in the draft, and the Lakers selected Elgin Baylor, who won Rookie of the Year. In 1959, Baylor and Mikkelsen led the team to the Finals, where they were swept by the Boston Celtics, starting the rivalry. In 1960, the Lakers made the playoffs with a 25–50 record but lost to the Hawks. Owner Bob Short decided to move the franchise to Los Angeles before the 1960–61 season, making the Lakers the NBA's first West Coast team. The team added Jerry West, hired Fred Schaus as coach, and added Chick Hearn a

In Their Own Story

The Minneapolis era was defined by specific moments of historical significance. In the 1950–51 season, Mikan won his third scoring title with 28.4 points per game, though the team suffered a historic low in a 19–18 loss to the Fort Wayne Pistons, recorded as the lowest-scoring game in NBA history. By the 1951–52 season, they defeated the New York Knicks in seven games to win their second title of the decade. Mikan continued to dominate, leading the league in rebounding with 14.4 rebounds per game during the 1952–53 campaign and earning MVP honors at the 1953 All-Star Game. Despite knee problems limiting his scoring average to 18 points in the 1953–54 season, Mikan helped secure the franchise's sixth championship in seven seasons against Syracuse. However, after Mikan retired following the 1954 off-season, the team struggled financially and on the court. They won only 19 games in the league-low 1957–58 season before hiring Mikan as coach, a move that ended quickly when he was fired in January with the team at 9–30.

Reader's Guide

The Lakers are one of the NBA's most famous and successful franchises. As of August 2024, the Lakers are second in the NBA's all-time records for wins (3,550) and winning percentage (.591), and hold the all-time record for most NBA Finals appearances (32). They are second in NBA championship wins with 17, just behind the Boston Celtics with 18 NBA titles, and with nine more Finals appearances than the Celtics. Their team has had many NBA legends, including George Mikan, Jim Pollard, Clyde Lovellette, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Gail Goodrich, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes, James Worthy, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis.

Did You Know?

• The Lakers won the NBL championship in their first season after relocating to Minneapolis.
• The Lakers participated in the lowest-scoring game in NBA history on November 22, 1950, losing 19–18 to the Fort Wayne Pistons.
• The Lakers moved to Los Angeles before the 1960–61 season, becoming the NBA's first West Coast team.
• The franchise was originally named the Detroit Gems and played in the NBL during the 1946–47 season.