Los Angeles Lakers Greats Deserve 'Ring of Honor' at Staples Center
Alson Wong
Los Angeles Lakers Greats Deserve 'Ring of Honor' at Staples Center
By Matt Smith (Correspondent) on August 20, 2010
Being a Los Angeles Lakers fan, there is not much I like about the Boston
Celtics.
I respect the Celtics but I don't care for them much. There is one thing
the Boston Celtics organization does that I wish my Lakers would do. honor
all their great players, Boston's rafters are full with THEIR guys. Not
just the Hall of Famers but the guys that played their hearts out made
clutch plays, hustle plays, key stops, contributed to championships, or
performed greatly when the team may not have been championship caliber.
I do appreciate the special and exclusive nature of the Lakers retired
jersey club, it consists of Hall of Famers and some of the greatest most
elite players the game has ever known.
Names like Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Gail Goodrich from
the 60's and early 70's followed by the great "Showtime" era Lakers like
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and James Worthy are all on display along
with George Mikan and the other great Minneapolis Lakers and legendary
announcer Chick Hearn, high above the Staples Center court.
But all Lakers fans know there is a rich history on this team and many
players with major contributions to the teams success, that may not get them
to Springfield and the Hall of Fame but they will always have a HUGE place
in the collective memories of Laker Nation.
I suggest in addition to our elite retired number section filled with Hall
of Famers and legends, we add a Lakers Ring of Honor.
In this Ring of Honor we would display the numbers of these special Lakers
who played such a major role in this great franchise's success.
Championships are a major part of Lakers history but some of our favorite
Lakers who did not win rings, also put in work every night and thrilled the
crowd, the best of these Lakers deserve to be remembered as well.
So Dr. Buss, if you are reading this, congratulations on your recent
enshrinement to the Basketball Hall of Fame, here is a list of Lakers you
should make sure are honored and remembered, at least in our house.Staples
Center.
My list includes 16 players and three coaches, plus one special Laker-it's a
mix of retired and active Lakers, the active players would be honored upon
their retirement.
Four of the following players deserve to be placed in the elite retired
number section and the remaining 12 should go into the Ring of Honor (these
numbers would not be retired but would hang in the rafters none the less.
So basically we would have a two tiered system, (Tier #1) the elite players
numbers would be Retired and (Tier #2) the other special players would be in
the Ring of Honor.
The 4 Elite - Tier #1 Lakers (who should join the ranks of the Retired
numbers)
Jamaal Wilkes #52 (Retired): In all honesty it's a travishamockery that
"Silk" is not in the Basketball Hall of Fame, check his numbers, college and
pro all he did was Win, Win, Win.
His career stats are better than Hall of Famer Joe Dumars, check the
records, he won 2 NCAA National Championships at UCLA was the NBA Rookie of
the Year for Golden St. and won 4 NBA Championships (3x with the Lakers).
He deserves to be among the Lakers elite.
Shaquille O'Neal #34 (Active): Yeah, I know the Big Aristotle is now the Big
Shamrock playing for the hated Celtics, according to some, Shaq committed an
act of treason, punishable by not retiring his jersey.
I emphatically disagree, Shaq's BEST years were with the Lakers and that
3-Peat gave him untouchable status in Lakers lore.
Get over it people the Diesel is one of the top 10 players to ever play the
game and his jersey will hang in the Staples Center.
Kobe Bryant #8, #24 (Active): The only question here is do we retire one or
both of the Black Mamba's numbers.
When you play at the rarefied level Bryant's played at you can have two
jersey's in the rafters.
He's already top five all time in my book so this is a no brainer, still in
his prime we have a long way to go before this ceremony takes place.
Pau Gasol #16 (Active): Since the Lakers have stopped using "Diesel" fuel
and started using Spanish "GASOLine" (sorry, I couldn't resist), the Lakers
have been to the NBA Finals every year.
Again, that's three years of Pau and three trips to the NBA Finals.
He's been the perfect compliment to Kobe and is arguably the best power
forward in the league today.
When he hangs it up he will definitely deserve to join the Lakers elite.
Tier #2 "Ring Of Honor" Lakers: This section includes five Showtime Lakers,
three Lakeshow era Lakers, and four from the past decade including three
active Lakers.
Ring of Honor
Showtime Lakers:
Michael Cooper #21: Tough as nails, one of the top five defensive players of
the 80's.
Defensive Player of the year 1986-87, would not back down from anyone also
great three-point shooter. Five-time NBA Champion.
Norm Nixon #10: Super fast, Stormin Norman with the unstoppable pull up
jumper off the fast-break.
All-Star and two-time NBA Champion
Byron Scott #4: Great Scott, was a great finisher, and top flight scorer, in
fact was the leading scorer on the 1987-88 team scoring 22ppg.
Three-time NBA Champion
Kurt Rambis #31: Clark Kent, led the team in floor burns, scrappiness and
hustle also a tough rebounder and definite fan favorite.
Four-time NBA Champion
AC Green #45: the Iron Man, with the trademark Jheri Curl, (LOL), never
missed a day at work.
Only Laker to have won titles with Magic & Kareem era and Kobe & Shaq era
Lakers.
All-Star and three-time NBA Champion
Lakeshow Era:
Vlade Divac #12: the Marlboro Man, crafty, flashy, skilled big man fit right
in at the end of the Showtime era.
Divac led the way for the international invasion.
One appearance in the Finals.
Nick Van Exel #9: Nick the Quick, cocky, brash, clutch, great scorer.
One of the best tough shot makers, shot better when a defender was in his
face.
The Lakers were no where near championship level but were loads of fun to
watch.
All-Star
Eddie Jones #6: I can still hear the Forum chanting EDDIE, EDDIE.
Eddie Jones was a fan favorite, high flying wing who was a great defender.
He was one of the best defensive guards of the 90's and 2000's.
He was also a good shooter and scorer, who brought it every night.
All-Star
New Millenium:
Robert Horry #5: Big Shot Rob or Bob, which ever you prefer.
God gave Horry a double dose of the clutch gene.
Horry was an all around player, jack of all trades, could score and defend,
run the break but his biggest attribute was his ability to perform when the
lights were the brightest, in pressure situations.
Seven-time NBA Champion, three times with Lakers
Derek Fisher #2:
His stats won't get him to the Hall of Fame or any All-Star games but Fish
is the consummate professional.
He's like our Derek Jeter, it's funny, both Derek's wear #2, win
championships and make big plays (ok, I know Fisher is lacking Jeter's Hall
of Fame talent) but Fish, like Horry was in line twice when God was passing
out clutchness.
He is a great leader and if it were up to me the Lakers should take this
workman like role player and retire his number, but I will settle for the
Ring of Honor.
Five-Time NBA Champion
Andrew Bynum #17: I'm projecting here so bear with me.
Young Bynum's enshrinement would probably take place in the year 2025, so we
have a ways to go but he already has two rings and he is only 22 years old.
He has the talent but does he have the desire and work ethic to be great?
And will he have good health.if he is blessed with the health his game will
take care of the rest.
I see All-Star games in his future and lots of productive basketball.
Two-time NBA Champion.
Lamar Odom #7: Lamar is frustrating to some because of his incredible mix of
size and skills.
Reminiscent of Magic Johnson, some people feel he has not lived up to his
potential.
BUT, I see an unselfish 6'10" rebounding machine, who is willing to come off
the bench and do whatever it takes to WIN.
His versatility and length allow the Lakers to do so much and it's about
time we appreciate Lamar for what he does do.
Two-time NBA Champion.
Coaches:
Pat Riley: Former player and coach who won one NBA Championship as a player
and four times a coach of the Showtime Lakers.
(Riley deserves to be retired among the Tier No. 1 elite)
Phil Jackson: The Zen Master has more rings than any other coach in American
team sports and has won five times with the Lakers, definitely deserving of
this honor (Phil deserves to be retired among the Tier #1 elite)
Tex Winter: the architect of the Triangle, should be in Springfield, but if
not there then at least he should be honored at Staples Center.
(Tex should go in the Ring of Honor)
And finally the last great Laker I would nominate for special honor at
Staples Center...
Jerry Buss: The greatest owner in professional sports should also be honored
with an Owner's Jersey to go in the Tier #1 retired section along with the
other Hall of Famers.
So I hope the Lakers brass will take this suggestion under advisement and
show some well deserved respect to some of our favorite Lakers who have done
so much to continue the great Lakers tradition. I suggest we have one big
"Ring of Honor" night and bring in all of the guys and honor them at
halftime of a game.
Lakers Nation (and others) let me know what you think, is this Ring of Honor
necessary? Would you like to see the Lakers organization honor the past
great Lakers that may not be Hall of Fame level? Did I leave anyone off, or
would you delete someone? Let the comments begin...
$Bill
> http://bleacherreport.com/articles/439797-special-los-angeles-lakers-deserve-ring-of-honor-at-staples-center
>
> Los Angeles Lakers Greats Deserve 'Ring of Honor' at Staples Center
> By Matt Smith (Correspondent) on August 20, 2010
Totally disagree with this crap - plus he left Chicky Baby off his list - so sorry Matt.
greg brown
"Alson Wong" <ra...@yahoo.com._b_l_o_c_k_> wrote in message
news:DbHbo.1622$cE1....@newsfe18.iad...
> http://bleacherreport.com/articles/439797-special-los-angeles-lakers-deserve-ring-of-honor-at-staples-center
>
> Los Angeles Lakers Greats Deserve 'Ring of Honor' at Staples Center
> By Matt Smith (Correspondent) on August 20, 2010
>
I generally agree, but I don't think the players who make the Ring of Honor
should have their jersy's retired. There names should be listed as great
Lakers. I also don't understand the arbitrary categories the article lists.
The era in which the player played should be irrelevant, although each
player in the ring shoudl have a little blurb about why they are there.
I think guys like, Rambis, Coop, Norm Nixon, Jamal, Jim McMilan, Derek
Fisher, Horry, Rick Fox, Mycal Thompson, in addition to our HoF guys. Not so
convinced "Cancun" should be there or Byron Scott. One of them quit on us
and the other just rode the gravy train unless (or until) the going got
tough at which point, he folded.
Greg