How Many NBA Championships Do the Lakers Have?

The Los Angeles Lakers have won a total of 17 NBA championships.

The Early Years

The Lakers were founded in 1947, and they have won 16 NBA championships. The Lakers have a storied history, and they are one of the most successful teams in NBA history. Let’s take a look at the early years of the Lakers.

The Minneapolis Era

The Lakers were founded in 1947 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The franchise began as part of the National Basketball League (NBL) and won their first NBL championship in 1949.

In 1950, the Lakers moved to Los Angeles to join the NBA as part of the league’s expansion efforts. The Lakers made the NBA Finals six times in the next 10 years, but lost every series. They reached the NBA Finals again in 1962, but lost again to the Boston Celtics.

The Move to Los Angeles

In 1960, the Lakers moved from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. The franchise struggled in the early years, only making the playoffs twice in the next 12 seasons and missing the playoffs entirely in four of them. But they began to turn things around in the early 1970s, when they drafted guard Jerry West from West Virginia University with their first pick in the NBA Draft. He would go on to be one of the greatest players in franchise history, playing his entire 14-year career with the Lakers and being named to the NBA All-Star team 12 times.

The Championship Years

The Lakers have won a total of 16 NBA championships. They won 5 championships in the 80s, 5 championships in the 00s, and 6 championships in the 10s. Let’s take a look at the years they won each championship.

The ShowTime Era

The Lakers won five championships in the 1980s. They opened the decade by defeating the Sixers in the 1980 NBA Finals, led by Finals MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and rookie sensation Magic Johnson. The Lakers then won back-to-back titles in 1982 and 1983, led by Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar, and head coach Pat Riley. After losing in the 1984 Finals, the Lakers won two more championships in 1985 and 1986. In 1987, Johnson announced he had contracted HIV, causing him to retire from basketball. The Lakers went on to lose to the Celtics in the 1988 NBA Finals.

The Kobe-Shaq Era

From 2000-2002, the Lakers were untouchable. They won consecutive championships, led by the dynamic duo of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. The team seemed destined to win several more championships, but things changed in 2003. O’Neal was traded to the Miami Heat, and the Lakers entered a period of rebuilding.

From 2003-2007, the Lakers failed to make the playoffs. In 2008, they finally returned to prominence, led by Bryant and newly acquired star Pau Gasol. The team made three straight trips to the NBA Finals, winning championships in 2009 and 2010.

Since then, the Lakers have been in a bit of a decline. They failed to make the playoffs in 2013 and 2014, and although they returned in 2015 and 2016, they were unable to get past the first round. In 2017, the Lakers finally returned to the NBA Finals, but they were swept by the Golden State Warriors.

The Kobe Era

The Kobe Era of the Los Angeles Lakers began when the Lakers drafted Kobe Bryant out of high school with the 13th pick of the 1996 NBA Draft. It is considered to have ended when Kobe Bryant retired from the NBA following the 2015-16 season.

During his 20-year career with the Lakers, Kobe won 5 NBA championships, was named to 18 All-Star teams, and was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2008. He is widely considered one of the greatest players in NBA history.

The Post-Kobe Era

Kobe Bryant retired in 2016 after 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. Since then, the Lakers have not won an NBA championship. In the post-Kobe era, the Lakers have been rebuilding and have not been as successful as they were with Kobe.

The Post-Kobe rebuild

After the retirement of Kobe Bryant in 2016, the Lakers entered a rebuilding period. They failed to make the playoffs in 2017 and 2018, but returned to contention in 2019. They signed All-Star forward LeBron James that off-season, and reached the NBA Finals in 2020. However, they lost in six games to the Miami Heat.

The Post-Kobe playoff appearances

Since Kobe Bryant’s retirement in 2016, the Lakers have made the playoffs three times. In each of those appearances, they were eliminated in the first round.

The Lakers’ Rivalries

The Lakers have had many rivals throughout their history. Some of their most notable rivals are the Boston Celtics, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Sacramento Kings. The Lakers have had a lot of success against these teams, winning a total of 16 NBA championships.

The Celtics

The Celtics and Lakers have been the NBA’s most preeminent franchises over the past four decades.

The two teams have won a combined 33 championships since 1980, with the Lakers winning 17 and the Celtics winning 16.

The Lakers and Celtics have met in the Finals a total of 11 times, with the Lakers winning nine of those series.

The most recent Finals matchup between the two teams was in 2010, when the Lakers defeated the Celtics in seven games.

The Pistons

The Pistons have had a long-standing rivalry with the Lakers. The Pistons have won three NBA championships, in 1989, 1990, and 2004. The Lakers have won sixteen NBA championships, including five in a row from 2000 to 2004.

The Spurs

The Spurs are one of the Lakers’ biggest rivals. They have won five NBA championships, the most recent being in 2014. They are also one of only two teams to have beaten the Lakers in the playoffs more than once (the other being the Detroit Pistons).

The Lakers’ Legacy

The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most successful teams in NBA history. They have won a total of 16 championships, which is the second most in the NBA. The Lakers have also made it to the Finals a total of 31 times, which is the most in the NBA.

The Lakers’ impact on the NBA

The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most successful teams in NBA history. They have won 16 championships, the second-most in league history, and their players have been named NBA Finals MVP a record 18 times. The Lakers have also had 31 All-Star Game selections, 28 Hall of Fame inductees, and they have retired 16 jersey numbers.

The Lakers’ success has been due in large part to their ability to attract some of the game’s greatest players. In the 1950s, they signed George Mikan, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest centers in NBA history. In the 1970s and 1980s, they added stars such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Kobe Bryant to their roster. These players helped lead the Lakers to five championships in the 1980s and five more in the 2000s.

In addition to their on-court success, the Lakers have also been one of the most financially successful teams in the NBA. They are worth an estimated $4 billion, and they generate more revenue than any other team in the league. The Lakers’ popularity has also helped them land lucrative television contracts and endorsement deals. All of this has made them one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world.

The Lakers’ impact on Los Angeles

The Lakers are one of the most iconic basketball teams in the world, and they have had a profound impact on the city of Los Angeles. The team has been a source of pride and joy for Angelenos for generations, and they have brought home a total of 17 NBA Championships over the course of their history.

The Lakers are loved by many for their exciting brand of basketball, and they have some of the most passionate fans in all of sports. The team has also had a significant economic impact on Los Angeles, as they generate millions of dollars in revenue each year.

The Lakers are an important part of Los Angeles’ identity, and they have helped to shape the city into the vibrant metropolis it is today.