While the nation is protesting the death of George Floyd, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar spoke about his lifelong fight against racism. Jabbar recently wrote an op-ed on LA Times condemning the injustice. In an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Jabbar talked about his article and his struggles with being an African-American. He was part of a protest for the first time during his college days. He talked about an incident when the police officer would start questioning him only due to the color of his skin. When Fallon asked how he talks to his children about such issues, Jabbar said: “I told my boy, ‘The police are suspicious of you and are afraid of you at the same time. It is all based on the color of your skin. You have to know how to handle that. (If you) escalate the situation, it could lead to you getting shot for no reason.” Jabbar doesn’t seem to be the only one who had such talks with his children. His teammate during his NBA days, Magic Johnson, recently revealed [http://www.essentiallysports.com/nba-news-it-can-happen-to-e-j-and-andre-los-angeles-lakers-legend-magic-johnson-reveals-hes-warned-his-sons-of-racism/] that he warned his children about being black in America. In the wake of the George Floyd incident, Johnson felt the need for it in spite of being one of the most famous names in America. Both Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson were part of a Los Angeles Lakers [https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nba/los-angeles-lakers/] team that dominated the NBA [https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/nba/] during the 1980s. Jabbar finished as the NBA’s leading scorer of all-time, a record that still stands. Over his 20-year career, he was a 19-time All-Star, winning six titles and six MVP awards. KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR SHARED A MESSAGE URGING FOR CHANGE Towards the end of the show, Jabbar shared a message. “If you want to change this, just make a friend with someone who doesn’t look like you,” he said. “Too many of us don’t have friends that don’t look like them. That’s a shame.” Talking on CNN [https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/02/sport/george-floyd-kareem-abdul-jabbar-gregg-popovich-spt-intl/index.html], Jabbar was also critical of President Donald Trump’s announcement on wanting to take military action. He felt those were comments from people who have no voice. 

Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recalled his fights against racism
since during his childhood and shared a message to people

Saketh Kandadai

Saketh Kandadai, Author at EssentiallySports

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Arjun Athreya is a senior writer at EssentiallySports and has been contributing since early 2020. Having developed an avid interest in sports at an early age, he pursued a Journalism degree and graduated from Madras Christian College. Arjun manages the Golf division and its content, and primarily covers news pertaining to the NBA as well. In addition to it, he contributes to the NCAA (College Basketball), and Tennis divisions too. Outside of writing, Arjun has also conducted interviews with significant personalities in the sporting world. He connected with notable NBA Insider Brandon ?Scoop B? Robinson, and Jerry Castello, the CEO of USA Natural Patches, and the founder of a basketball tournament called ?The 5.?

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<h2>Everything to Know About the Los Angeles Lakers</h2>
<h2>History</h2>
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most popular sports teams in the world. The Lakers are also a very successful team, and it started right from the beginning. The franchise began in 1947 as the Minneapolis Lakers in the National Basketball League and won the title in 1948. The team then joined the rival Basketball Association of America, which would later become the NBA in 1948. The Lakers continued their successful run in the BAA as well. But the team struggled financially in the mid-50s and relocated to Los Angeles in 1960 as the Los Angeles Lakers.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-381910 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/20200918202141/lal_primary-logo-scaled-1.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1189" />

Read More: <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nba-news-why-did-kobe-bryant-have-such-a-disturbing-relationship-with-his-parents/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Why did Kobe Bryant have such a disturbing relationship with his parents?</a>
<h2>Who is the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers?</h2>
Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the Los Angeles Lakers along with the Forum and NHL's Los Angeles Kings for $67 million in 1979 from then-owner Jack Kent Cooke. The Lakers thrived under the leadership of Buss as he revolutionized virtually the entire league.

When Dr. Buss passed away in 2013, the ownership was transferred to his six children through a family trust. The Buss Family Trusts is the majority owner of the Lakers now with Jeanie Buss acting as the controlling owner. She became the first female controlling owner to win the title when the Lakers clinched the championship in 2020.

Read More: <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nba-throwback-relive-the-final-battle-between-kobe-bryant-and-lebron-james/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-wpel-link="internal">NBA Throwback: Relive the Final Battle Between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James</a>
<div class="thb-post-title-bottom">
<h2>Who are the team sponsors?</h2>
The Los Angeles Lakers are sponsored by several major brands. Notably, the Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers signed a stadium-naming rights deal with the cryptocurrency platform Crypto.com. According to reports, it was a 20-year $700 million contract. So, the Staples Center was officially renamed Crypto.com Arena.

While the official kit sponsor of the Lakers is Nike, the team signed a deal with bibigo as the official jersey patch partner in 2021. Some of the other notable sponsors of the team are American Express, Beyond Meat, BioSteel, Budweiser, Comerica, Delta and Pepsi.
Read More: <a style="font-size: 16px" href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nba-la-lakers-where-does-lebron-james-live-all-that-we-know-about-his-massive-and-luxurious-villa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Where Does LeBron James Live? All That We Know About His Luxurious Villa</a>

</div>

[caption id="attachment_1647883" align="aligncenter" width="1920"]<img class="size-full wp-image-1647883" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2023-04-03T021203Z_617747669_MT1USATODAY20381083_RTRMADP_3_NBA-LOS-ANGELES-LAKERS-AT-HOUSTON-ROCKETS.jpg" alt="LeBron James and Anthony Davis" width="1920" height="1280" /> Apr 2, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forwards Anthony Davis (3) and LeBron James (6) signal to teammates against the Houston Rockets during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]
<h2>Los Angeles Lakers roster</h2>
<table style="height: 742px" width="441">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>LeBron James</td>
<td>Small Forward</td>
<td>38</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Anthony Davis</td>
<td>Center</td>
<td>30</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Austin Reaves</td>
<td>Shooting Guard</td>
<td>25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>D?Angelo Russell</td>
<td>Point Guard</td>
<td>27</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dennis Schroder</td>
<td>Point Guard</td>
<td>29</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rui Hachimura</td>
<td>Power Forward</td>
<td>25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Lonnie Walker IV</td>
<td>Guard</td>
<td>24</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mo Bamba</td>
<td>Center</td>
<td>25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jarred Vanderbilt</td>
<td>Power Forward</td>
<td>24</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Malik Beasley</td>
<td>Shooting Guard</td>
<td>26</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tristan Thompson</td>
<td>Center</td>
<td>32</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Troy Brown Jr.</td>
<td>Small Forward</td>
<td>23</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Read More: <a style="font-size: 16px" href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/nba-news-hilarious-when-shaquille-oneal-challenged-michael-phelps-to-a-swimming-contest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">When Shaquille O'Neal challenged Michael Phelps to a swimming contest</a>
<h2>Achievements and wins</h2>
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the two most successful teams in the league with 17 championships each. The Lakers' winning culture started right after the team was founded in 1947 as they won the NBL title in 1948. The Minneapolis Lakers continued winning titles after moving to the BAA as well. Then the BAA merged with NBL to form the NBA in 1949. So, the Lakers' 1948 title win is not considered by the NBA as an official championship. However, the 1949 championship is recognized since the team joined the BAA.

The dominance of the Lakers continued in the 50s as they won titles in 1950, 1952, 1953 and 1954, led by legendary center George Mikan. However, things went south after Mikan retired in 1954 as the team struggled on and off the court. Because of the financial troubles, the franchise was relocated to Los Angeles in 1960. However, the team still found it hard to get back to its winning ways. After a dry spell that lasted years, the team won the 1972 title with the help of NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain. It was followed by another eight years of disappointment.

In 1979, Dr. Jerry Buss became the majority owner of the Lakers with the intention to turn the team's luck around. 1979 also marked the entry of NBA legend Earvin 'Magic' Johnson when the team drafted him as the first pick. Thus began the era of Showtime Lakers. With the help of Magic, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and others, the Lakers lifted five championships in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988. The team then lost the 1989 and 1991 NBA Finals.

The Lakers struggled again until Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant started working their magic. The duo led the Lakers to three straight championships from 2000 to 2002, a feat even the Showtime Lakers could not achieve. O'Neal, Bryant and the team dismantled their opponents on their way to all three titles, displaying utter dominance. After Shaq left the team in 2004, Kobe became the main man. He then led the team to two straight rings in 2009 and 2010. Recently, superstar LeBron James helped the team win their record 17th championship in 2020.
<h2>The Lakers' rivalry with the Boston Celtics</h2>
The Boston Celtics and the Lakers are the two most successful teams in the league with 17 championships each. The Lakers and Celtics also have one of the biggest and longest rivalries in sports history. The rivalry between the two started in 1959 when they first faced each other in the Finals. The two have battled in the Finals a record 12 times in which the Celtics mostly came out on top.

In 1959, the Celtics swept the Lakers for the title. The Celtics continued their dominance over the Lakers by winning a mindboggling eight straight Finals, winning in 1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969 and 1984 over the Lakers. This was a massive blow to the franchise and its loyal fans who felt that their opponents were simply unbeatable. However, the Lakers finally overcame this streak and won the championship against the Celtics in 1985 and then again in 1987.

After the 1987 Finals, the Lakers and the Celtics once again locked horns in 2008 where Boston came out victorious. The teams again clashed in the 2010 Finals with the Lakers clinching the title this time. While the Celtics have won 9, the Lakers have won 3 in their 12 Finals showdowns so far.
<h2>How many numbers have the Lakers retired?</h2>
The Lakers have always been fortunate to have some of the most storied players on their roster for a long time. Therefore, so far, the team has 14 names on their rafters. The jerseys of legends George Mikan (99), Elgin Baylor (22), Jerry West (44), Wilt Chamberlain (13), Gail Goodrich (25), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33), Magic Johnson (32), James Worthy (42), Jamaal Wilkes (52), Shaquille O?Neal (34), Kobe Bryant (8, 24) and Pau Gasol (16) have been retired. Legendary broadcaster Chick Hearn's name is also up on the rafters.
<h2>Laker Girls: The owner's game-changing entertainment addition</h2>
Dr. Jerry Buss was a visionary who revolutionized the league with his entertainment and marketing ideas. The legendary team owner wanted the Lakers to be entertaining on and off the court to bring fans to the arena and to popularize the game in the country and around the world. One of Dr. Buss' important innovations was the Laker Girls.

The late owner ordered a formation of a dance squad with highly talented female dancers. While the idea received some backlash early on, it became widely accepted. While the Showtime Lakers entertained fans with their up-tempo style of play, the Laker Girls kept the crowd going with their dances during breaks.
<h2>Lakers on social media</h2>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Instagram</td>
<td><a href="https://www.instagram.com/lakers/">@lakers</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Twitter</td>
<td><a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers/">@Lakers</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Facebook</td>
<td><a href="https://www.facebook.com/losangeleslakers">@losangeleslakers</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Website</td>
<td><a href="http://www.nba.com/lakers">https://www.nba.com/lakers?tmd=1</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Founded?</td>
<td>1947</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Owner</td>
<td>Buss Family Trusts</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>President</td>
<td>Jeanie Buss</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Conference</td>
<td>West</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>General Manager</td>
<td>Rob Pelinka</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Head Coach</td>
<td>Darvin Ham</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sponsors</td>
<td>Crypto.com, bibigo, Nike, etc?</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Arena</td>
<td>Crypto.com Arena</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Championships</td>
<td>17</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Conference Titles</td>
<td>19</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Division Titles</td>
<td>33</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Team Value</td>
<td>$5.9 Billion</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Los Angeles Lakers

Everything to Know About the Los Angeles Lakers History The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most popular sports teams in the world. The Lakers are also a very successful team, and it started right from the beginning. The franchise began in 1947 as the Minneapolis Lakers in the National Basketball League and won the title in 1948. The team then joined the rival Basketball Association of America, which would later become the NBA in 1948. The Lakers continued their successful run in the BAA as well. But the team struggled financially in the mid-50s and relocated to Los Angeles in 1960 as the Los Angeles Lakers. Read More: Why did Kobe Bryant have such a disturbing relationship with his parents? Who is the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers? Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the Los Angeles Lakers along with the Forum and NHL&#8217;s Los Angeles Kings for $67 million in 1979 from then-owner Jack Kent Cooke. The Lakers thrived under the leadership of Buss as he revolutionized virtually the entire league. When Dr. Buss passed away in 2013, the ownership was transferred to his six children through a family trust. The Buss Family Trusts is the majority owner of the Lakers now with Jeanie Buss acting as the controlling owner. She became the first female controlling owner to win the title when the Lakers clinched the championship in 2020. Read More: NBA Throwback: Relive the Final Battle Between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James Who are the team sponsors? The Los Angeles Lakers are sponsored by several major brands. Notably, the Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers signed a stadium-naming rights deal with the cryptocurrency platform Crypto.com. According to reports, it was a 20-year $700 million contract. So, the Staples Center was officially renamed Crypto.com Arena. While the official kit sponsor of the Lakers is Nike, the team signed a deal with bibigo as the official jersey patch partner in 2021. Some of the other notable sponsors of the team are American Express, Beyond Meat, BioSteel, Budweiser, Comerica, Delta and Pepsi. Read More: Where Does LeBron James Live? All That We Know About His Luxurious Villa Apr 2, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forwards Anthony Davis (3) and LeBron James (6) signal to teammates against the Houston Rockets during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports Los Angeles Lakers roster  LeBron James Small Forward 38  Anthony Davis Center 30  Austin Reaves Shooting Guard 25  D?Angelo Russell Point Guard 27  Dennis Schroder Point Guard 29  Rui Hachimura Power Forward 25  Lonnie Walker IV Guard 24  Mo Bamba Center 25  Jarred Vanderbilt Power Forward 24  Malik Beasley Shooting Guard 26  Tristan Thompson Center 32  Troy Brown Jr. Small Forward 23  Read More: When Shaquille O&#8217;Neal challenged Michael Phelps to a swimming contest Achievements and wins The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the two most successful teams in the league with 17 championships each. The Lakers&#8217; winning culture started right after the team was founded in 1947 as they won the NBL title in 1948. The Minneapolis Lakers continued winning titles after moving to the BAA as well. Then the BAA merged with NBL to form the NBA in 1949. So, the Lakers&#8217; 1948 title win is not considered by the NBA as an official championship. However, the 1949 championship is recognized since the team joined the BAA. The dominance of the Lakers continued in the 50s as they won titles in 1950, 1952, 1953 and 1954, led by legendary center George Mikan. However, things went south after Mikan retired in 1954 as the team struggled on and off the court. Because of the financial troubles, the franchise was relocated to Los Angeles in 1960. However, the team still found it hard to get back to its winning ways. After a dry spell that lasted years, the team won the 1972 title with the help of NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain. It was followed by another eight years of disappointment. In 1979, Dr. Jerry Buss became the majority owner of the Lakers with the intention to turn the team&#8217;s luck around. 1979 also marked the entry of NBA legend Earvin &#8216;Magic&#8217; Johnson when the team drafted him as the first pick. Thus began the era of Showtime Lakers. With the help of Magic, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and others, the Lakers lifted five championships in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988. The team then lost the 1989 and 1991 NBA Finals. The Lakers struggled again until Shaquille O&#8217;Neal and Kobe Bryant started working their magic. The duo led the Lakers to three straight championships from 2000 to 2002, a feat even the Showtime Lakers could not achieve. O&#8217;Neal, Bryant and the team dismantled their opponents on their way to all three titles, displaying utter dominance. After Shaq left the team in 2004, Kobe became the main man. He then led the team to two straight rings in 2009 and 2010. Recently, superstar LeBron James helped the team win their record 17th championship in 2020. The Lakers&#8217; rivalry with the Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics and the Lakers are the two most successful teams in the league with 17 championships each. The Lakers and Celtics also have one of the biggest and longest rivalries in sports history. The rivalry between the two started in 1959 when they first faced each other in the Finals. The two have battled in the Finals a record 12 times in which the Celtics mostly came out on top. In 1959, the Celtics swept the Lakers for the title. The Celtics continued their dominance over the Lakers by winning a mindboggling eight straight Finals, winning in 1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969 and 1984 over the Lakers. This was a massive blow to the franchise and its loyal fans who felt that their opponents were simply unbeatable. However, the Lakers finally overcame this streak and won the championship against the Celtics in 1985 and then again in 1987. After the 1987 Finals, the Lakers and the Celtics once again locked horns in 2008 where Boston came out victorious. The teams again clashed in the 2010 Finals with the Lakers clinching the title this time. While the Celtics have won 9, the Lakers have won 3 in their 12 Finals showdowns so far. How many numbers have the Lakers retired? The Lakers have always been fortunate to have some of the most storied players on their roster for a long time. Therefore, so far, the team has 14 names on their rafters. The jerseys of legends George Mikan (99), Elgin Baylor (22), Jerry West (44), Wilt Chamberlain (13), Gail Goodrich (25), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33), Magic Johnson (32), James Worthy (42), Jamaal Wilkes (52), Shaquille O?Neal (34), Kobe Bryant (8, 24) and Pau Gasol (16) have been retired. Legendary broadcaster Chick Hearn&#8217;s name is also up on the rafters. Laker Girls: The owner&#8217;s game-changing entertainment addition Dr. Jerry Buss was a visionary who revolutionized the league with his entertainment and marketing ideas. The legendary team owner wanted the Lakers to be entertaining on and off the court to bring fans to the arena and to popularize the game in the country and around the world. One of Dr. Buss&#8217; important innovations was the Laker Girls. The late owner ordered a formation of a dance squad with highly talented female dancers. While the idea received some backlash early on, it became widely accepted. While the Showtime Lakers entertained fans with their up-tempo style of play, the Laker Girls kept the crowd going with their dances during breaks. Lakers on social media  Instagram @lakers  Twitter @Lakers  Facebook @losangeleslakers  Website https://www.nba.com/lakers?tmd=1    Founded? 1947  Owner Buss Family Trusts  President Jeanie Buss  Conference West  General Manager Rob Pelinka  Head Coach Darvin Ham  Sponsors Crypto.com, bibigo, Nike, etc?  Arena Crypto.com Arena  Championships 17  Conference Titles 19  Division Titles 33  Team Value $5.9 Billion

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“You Getting Shot for No Reason”: NBA Legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Reveals His Sad Message to His Kids

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar shared a message urging for change

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