The last notable act for the Minneapolis Lakers was to use the second choice in the 1960 NBA draft to select Jerry West, a guard from West Virginia, on April 11, 1960.
The move to Los Angeles was approved soon thereafter. The Lakers became quickly powerful when teaming West with Elgin Baylor, who had two seasons of greatness in Minneapolis.
By the time the NBA returned here with the Timberwolves in 1989, the Los Angeles Lakers had appeared in the NBA Finals 17 times. In their first 50 seasons in L.A., the Lakers represented the West in the NBA Finals 25 times.