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Selecting the Los Angeles Lakers’ Mount Rushmore

By Cal Durrett

Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe BryantPHOTO/Lucy Nicholson (Photo credit should read LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe BryantPHOTO/Lucy Nicholson (Photo credit should read LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers
Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

Los Angeles Lakers Mount Rushmore: Magic Johnson

While Bryant is generally regarded as the best player in franchise history, Erving “Magic” Johnson has a strong claim. As a 6’9 point guard, Johnson was decades ahead of his time, and his versatility and playmaking ability revolutionized the NBA. It was also the driving force behind the “Showtime Lakers” and he helped lead them to an incredible nine NBA Finals over his 13-year career.

Better yet, with Johnson, they won five championships, including two against their archrivals, the Boston Celtics. The Lakers’ rivalry with the Celtics, and Johnson’s rivalry with Larry Bird, resulted in both the Lakers and the NBA’s popularity exploding.

That cemented Magic’s legacy as one of the greatest players ever, despite having a shorter career than most other stars. He still managed to amass an impressive list of honors. He won three MVPs, two NBA Finals MVPs, was a 12-time All-Star, and had 138 career triple-doubles, all with the Lakers.

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