Franchise All-Time Scoring Record
17 NBA championships and a locker room full of legends who made the name mean something.
The Detroit Gems took the floor in the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1946. A year later (1947) the team packed up and moved to Minneapolis, and that's when the Lakers name came into play. Before the NBL and the Basketball Association of America (BAA) merged in 1949 to create the National Basketball Association (NBA), this franchise had already run away with titles in both leagues. Everything the Lakers are today runs through that early Minneapolis chapter.
Quick Facts
- Record holder
- Kobe Bryant
- Previous record holder
- LeBron James
Lore & Background
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 biggest rival. 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 franchise participated in the lowest-scoring game in NBA history on November 22, 1950, losing 19–18 to the Fort Wayne Pistons.
- The Lakers' name comes from Minnesota's nickname, 'The Land of 10,000 Lakes'.
- George Mikan is described by the NBA's official website as the 'first superstar' in league history.
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