The Los Angeles Lakers have been blessed to see some of the game’s greatest players don the purple and gold throughout the years.
From Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain, to Magic Johnson, Kareem Adbul-Jabbar, and Shaquille O’Neal, Lakers fans have been spoiled and fortunate to watch numerous Hall of Famers help being championships to Los Angeles.
However, arguably the most popular and beloved Laker is the late Kobe Bryant. Despite being originally drafted by the Charlotte Hornets, an immediate trade amounted to Bryant spending his entire 20-year career with the Lakers, complete with five championships.
His influence and contributions to the game of basketball can not be understated, so when he tragically died in a helicopter accident back in January, it shook the basketball world to its core.