lET'S SEE, IT TAKES FIVE MEN ON THE COURT AT ONE TIME. THAT MEANS THAT AT LEAST THREE OF THEM CAN ACHIEVE "UBER-GREATNESS" FOR VARIOUS SKILLS! GAIL GOODRICH IS TO HIS TEAM WHAT JAAMAL AND COOP WERE TO THEIR TEAM? AND BOTH WERE STALLWORTHS LEAGUE WIDE IN THEIR TIME; HOWEVER THAT NASTY WORD "DEFENSIVE EXPERTS" PRECEED THEIR NAMES; SO NO ONE WANTS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS. MIKAN IS A NO BRAINER!
Roger Christy - 15 years ago
I have been waiting to express this for 20 yrs. Coop must be up there with the rest of the Laker greats ! This defensive specialist was an important part of all 5 of the Laker championships in the 80's . Would someone please honor him the way he should be. I'm positive if you asked Magic he would agree .
Nathan - 15 years ago
Oh ya I forgot, he's one of the top 50 players of all time. And let's face it, come on buss, it wouldn't be a big deal retiring that number, 99. Sorry Artest.
Nathan - 15 years ago
Let's get real and give some respect to George Mikan. The guy considered and voted the best player the first half of the 20th century, the first dominant big man ever and changed the game to a big mans game. He is the reason there is a shot clock because he was so good the other team would just play keep away from him. He was involved in the lowest scoring game in NBA history because of that fact. In several all star games, a college championship and seven professional championships. And he was an original Laker no matter the city. If that isn't enough, let me know. I think it's enough. :0)
Paul Zahn - 15 years ago
The Lakers have a policy of retiring the jersey number of Hall of Fame inductees, so if Jamal Wilkes can ever get his due, I expect his number to reach the rafters. Otherwise, the next will be Shaq's 34.
Anthony Quinzio - 15 years ago
Nobody on the list was truly great, the next one will be Kobe, then Shaq. The Hall of Fame and retiring Jersey numbers should belong to the chosen few
Ed P - 15 years ago
one more thing on the laker...
unlike other organizations, the lakers only celebrate greatness. not simply how well you perform on our team or in our division, but in the league as a whole. that's why we don't have good players' numbers or division champion banners or conference champion banners up in the rafters. this organization only knows the uber-great and the world champions.
the lakers have standards much higher than other organizations, not just in basketball, but in all of sports. that's why good players, who at times, showed flashes of greatness shouldn't have their numbers retired among the mt. rushmore of lakerland.
chick, wilt, elgin, gail, west, magic, kareem, and worthy have been truly the greatest players to have ever played the game or been part of this organization. no one can deny their enshrinement into the lakers hall of fame.
the others, byron, coop, fox, horry, norm, jamaal, kurt and ac all played important parts in the success of the lakers thru the years, but none are deserving of the honor of having their numbers retired.
Ed P - 15 years ago
love 'em all, they all have done tremendous things for our beloved lakers, but they were all complementary players who's number don't belong up in the rafters with the laker greats.
the next laker who should have his number retired is kobe, once he finishes his amazing career. four titles and counting....8 or 24? not sure...i still love the 8!
shaq, i'm still partial on. he gave us one great season in 1999-2000, during which he was simply awesome. then coasted on his laurels and the hard work of his teammates to titles in 2000-2002. as a season ticket holder, i'm still bitter i paid for all those regular season games for the big fatso to get himself into shape. sure we won two more titles with him all fat and lazy, but if not for kobe, horry, fox, dfish and the others pulling his mammoth behind thru the regular season, we might only have had one title. in the end, i'd be ok with his number being retired, but i'd be just as happy if his number never graces the rafters in the staples center.
lET'S SEE, IT TAKES FIVE MEN ON THE COURT AT ONE TIME. THAT MEANS THAT AT LEAST THREE OF THEM CAN ACHIEVE "UBER-GREATNESS" FOR VARIOUS SKILLS! GAIL GOODRICH IS TO HIS TEAM WHAT JAAMAL AND COOP WERE TO THEIR TEAM? AND BOTH WERE STALLWORTHS LEAGUE WIDE IN THEIR TIME; HOWEVER THAT NASTY WORD "DEFENSIVE EXPERTS" PRECEED THEIR NAMES; SO NO ONE WANTS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS. MIKAN IS A NO BRAINER!
I have been waiting to express this for 20 yrs. Coop must be up there with the rest of the Laker greats ! This defensive specialist was an important part of all 5 of the Laker championships in the 80's . Would someone please honor him the way he should be. I'm positive if you asked Magic he would agree .
Oh ya I forgot, he's one of the top 50 players of all time. And let's face it, come on buss, it wouldn't be a big deal retiring that number, 99. Sorry Artest.
Let's get real and give some respect to George Mikan. The guy considered and voted the best player the first half of the 20th century, the first dominant big man ever and changed the game to a big mans game. He is the reason there is a shot clock because he was so good the other team would just play keep away from him. He was involved in the lowest scoring game in NBA history because of that fact. In several all star games, a college championship and seven professional championships. And he was an original Laker no matter the city. If that isn't enough, let me know. I think it's enough. :0)
The Lakers have a policy of retiring the jersey number of Hall of Fame inductees, so if Jamal Wilkes can ever get his due, I expect his number to reach the rafters. Otherwise, the next will be Shaq's 34.
Nobody on the list was truly great, the next one will be Kobe, then Shaq. The Hall of Fame and retiring Jersey numbers should belong to the chosen few
one more thing on the laker...
unlike other organizations, the lakers only celebrate greatness. not simply how well you perform on our team or in our division, but in the league as a whole. that's why we don't have good players' numbers or division champion banners or conference champion banners up in the rafters. this organization only knows the uber-great and the world champions.
the lakers have standards much higher than other organizations, not just in basketball, but in all of sports. that's why good players, who at times, showed flashes of greatness shouldn't have their numbers retired among the mt. rushmore of lakerland.
chick, wilt, elgin, gail, west, magic, kareem, and worthy have been truly the greatest players to have ever played the game or been part of this organization. no one can deny their enshrinement into the lakers hall of fame.
the others, byron, coop, fox, horry, norm, jamaal, kurt and ac all played important parts in the success of the lakers thru the years, but none are deserving of the honor of having their numbers retired.
love 'em all, they all have done tremendous things for our beloved lakers, but they were all complementary players who's number don't belong up in the rafters with the laker greats.
the next laker who should have his number retired is kobe, once he finishes his amazing career. four titles and counting....8 or 24? not sure...i still love the 8!
shaq, i'm still partial on. he gave us one great season in 1999-2000, during which he was simply awesome. then coasted on his laurels and the hard work of his teammates to titles in 2000-2002. as a season ticket holder, i'm still bitter i paid for all those regular season games for the big fatso to get himself into shape. sure we won two more titles with him all fat and lazy, but if not for kobe, horry, fox, dfish and the others pulling his mammoth behind thru the regular season, we might only have had one title. in the end, i'd be ok with his number being retired, but i'd be just as happy if his number never graces the rafters in the staples center.
Robert Horry should have been on this list.