Los Angeles Lakers Titles

Most Los Angeles Lakers fans have taken in a game or two at the Staples Center, have seen highlights of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, or remember the epic battles with the Celtics in the 1980s. But only real fans know how the Lakers acquired Hot Rod Hundley, which hobby fascinated both Chick Hearn and Elgin Baylor, or the best place to grab a bite in LA before a game. Whether you were there for the Showtime era or started watching during Kobe Bryant's prime, this is the ultimate guide for Lakers faithful. Every essential piece of Lakers knowledge and trivia, as well as must-do activities, is ranked from 1 to 100, providing an entertaining and easy-to-follow checklist for those on their way to fan superstardom. This new edition is fully up to date, featuring Kobe's memorable farewell and the introduction of LeBron James in 2018.

Metta World Peace knows what it means to be both the hero and the villain. In his 17-season professional basketball career, he's darted back and forth between extremes, taking on the roles of youthful phenom, league-wide disgrace, All-Star, unlikely international ambassador, and fan favorite. Along the way, there have been awards, teammate rifts, an NBA championship trophy, plus a name change or two. It's more than the guy born Ronald William Artest, Jr. might have imagined for himself as a kid growing up in Queens. In No Malice, World Peace speaks candidly about his life on and off the court, from his difficult upbringing, to his time as a star athlete and budding math major at St. Johns; from the infamous "Malice at the Palace" brawl in Detroit, where he earned one of the lengthiest suspensions the NBA has ever handed down, to his sunnier days as a Los Angeles Laker. World Peace also opens up on such diverse subjects as his forays into business and entertainment, the truth behind his volatile, unbelievable antics which have puzzled fans and team management alike, as well as his outspoken advocacy for mental health awareness. No topic is off the table, making this a must-read for hoops fans in Indianapolis, LA, Chicago, China, and any place in between.

After 20 unforgettable years in the NBA, Kobe Bryant is calling it a career. All he’s done in those two decades is establish himself as one of the best to ever play the game, arguably the greatest Laker ever and the most popular athlete in the history of Los Angeles sports. The Black Mamba’s path to iconic status started quietly as the 13th pick of the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets but with a draft day trade to the legendary Lakers, the rest is resounding history. Kobe’s credentials are impeccable with five NBA championships, two NBA Finals MVPs, one NBA regular season MVP, 18 All-Star game appearances and countless other accolades to his name. Kobe Bryant: Laker for Life is the ultimate tribute to the Lakers superstar as he concludes his legendary career, covering 20 years of hardwood genius. Including nearly 100 full-color photographs, fans are provided a glimpse into the early days of Kobe’s career, bursting onto the NBA scene winning the Slam Dunk Contest to his individual brilliance and NBA titles with the Lakers to his celebratory swan song through the league during his final season. A must-have keepsake for Lakers fans and Kobe aficionados alike, Kobe Bryant is the perfect commemoration of a Los Angeles icon and Laker for Life.

The never-before-told story of the Buss family and of one woman's rise to the top in a man's world, Laker Girl is an unprecedented glimpse into the glamorous world of the Los Angeles Lakers. It is also a behind-the-scenes journal of the 2009–10 Lakers season, a year in which the franchise captured its 16th world championship. By the time Jeanie was 19, she was already a high-ranking executive with World Team Tennis. Today, she is the Lakers' executive vice president of business operations and one of the most influential women in professional sports. Along the way, she's rubbed elbows with everyone from Michael Jordan, John McEnroe, and Shaquille O'Neal to Ryan Seacrest, Khloe Kardashian, Hugh Hefner, and Jack Nicholson. And she's done it all in her own unique, inimitable style. In this updated edition, Buss discusses her recent engagement to Phil Jackson and looks back on the Lakers' eventful past three seasons—an era that has included multiple coaching changes, changes in the front office, a new TV deal, and much more.

The never-before-told story of the Buss family and of one woman's rise to the top in a man's world, Laker Girl is an unprecedented glimpse into the glamorous world of the Los Angeles Lakers. It is also a behind-the-scenes journal of the 2009–10 Lakers season, a year in which the franchise captured its 16th world championship. By the time Jeanie was 19, she was already a high-ranking executive with World Team Tennis. Today, she is the Lakers' executive vice president of business operations and one of the most influential women in professional sports. Along the way, she's rubbed elbows with everyone from Michael Jordan, John McEnroe, and Shaquille O'Neal to Ryan Seacrest, Khloe Kardashian, Hugh Hefner, and Jack Nicholson. And she's done it all in her own unique, inimitable style.

In this revised and expanded edition, Los Angeles Times writer Mark Heisler investigates the 45-year history of the Los Angeles Lakers and unveils a pattern of pampered and/or misguided players, megalomaniacal executives, and owners whose obsessive drives for championships and attention combined to create an atmosphere of conflict for decades Throughout the entire 2003–04 season, fans and the media called the L.A. Lakers the biggest reality show in the country. But the laundry list of conflicts—the ongoing Kobe-Shaq bickering, Kobe's sexual assault trial, Phil Jackson's final season, Gary Payton's refusal to admit his physical decline, and the loss to Detroit in the championship—was just another year in the history of the Lakers. Madmen's Ball goes back to the Lakers' unceremonious arrival in Los Angeles in 1960 to show that the franchise has been embroiled in controversy, in-house battles and personality clashes for generations.

Genuine fans take the best team moments with the less than great, and know that the games that are best forgotten make the good moments truly shine. This monumental book of the Los Angeles Lakers documents all the best moments and personalities in the history of the team, but also unmasks the regrettably awful and the unflinchingly ugly. In entertaining—and unsparing—fashion, this book sparkles with Lakers highlights and lowlights, from wonderful and wacky memories to the famous and infamous. Such moments include the 33-game winning streak of the 1960s as well as the implosion of the 2004-2005 team. Whether providing fond memories, goose bumps, or laughs, this portrait of the team is sure to appeal to the fan who has been through it all.

Revealing the stories behind the headlines, Los Angeles Times writer Mark Heisler investigates the 45-year history of the Los Angeles Lakers and unveils a pattern of pampered and/or misguided players, megalomaniacal executives, and owners whose obsessive drives for championships and attention combined to create an atmosphere of conflict for decades Throughout the entire 2003–04 season, fans and the media called the L.A. Lakers the biggest reality show in the country. But the laundry list of conflicts—the ongoing Kobe-Shaq bickering, Kobe's sexual assault trial, Phil Jackson's final season, Gary Payton's refusal to admit his physical decline, and the loss to Detroit in the championship—was just another year in the history of the Lakers. Madmen's Ball goes back to the Lakers' unceremonious arrival in Los Angeles in 1960 to show that the franchise has been embroiled in controversy, in-house battles and personality clashes for generations.

A capturing of basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain's personality and thoughts—known by relatively few people other than family and close friends—is made available to all in this intimate biography. The author, a native of Philadelphia and an alumnus of Chamberlain's alma mater, spent four years researching and interviewing the most important people in Wilt's life to produce these results.

Chick Hearn was the beloved broadcaster for the Los Angeles Lakers for four decades and 3,338 consecutive games; his previously unpublished memoirs are now available for the first time, along with a anecdotes and stories from those who knew him—and the Lakers—best. Also included is an audio CD that features Chick's greatest calls.