Los Angeles Lakers Fabric Cotton

Besides the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers are one of the oldest and most successful franchises in the NBA. Since they started playing in Minneapolis more than fifty years ago as part of the BAA, the Lakers have become one of the marquee franchises in all of sports.

The history of the Lakers' success can be traced all the way back to their first year in the BAA, in which they won the championship over the Washington Capitols with star center George Mikan leading the way.

The following season the Lakers won the inaugural NBA Finals over the Syracuse Nationals of Dolph Schayes. The Lakers had four future Hall of Famers on their roster in these early years: Mikan, forward Jim Pollard, forward Vern Mikkelsen, and guard Slater Martin. John Kundla, the Lakers' coach, was also elected to the Hall of Fame.

The Lakers again won championships in 1952, 1953 and 1954. The 1952 and 1953 teams beat the New York Knicks of Harry Gallatin in 7 games and 5 games respectively. The 1953 Lakers triumphed once more over the Syracuse Nationals, this time in 7 games.

In 1958, the Lakers drafted one of the greatest players in their illustrious history: Elgin Baylor from Seattle University. In his 14 seasons with the team, the Lakers made 9 trips to the NBA Finals and won one championship. The eight losses were all to the great Boston Celtics teams of Bill Russell.

In the 1960 draft, the Lakers selected another all-time great in Jerry West; he would also visit the NBA Finals 9 times with the Lakers and win one title.

Following is a summary of the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers' trips to the NBA Finals, with the Lakers' victories in bold:

1948-49: Won 4-2 over Washington Capitols

1949-50: Won 4-2 over Syracuse Nationals

1951-52: Won 4-3 over New York Knickerbockers

1952-53: Won 4-1 over New York Knickerbockers

1953-54: Won 4-3 over Syracuse Nationals

1958-59: Lost 0-4 to Boston Celtics

1961-62: Lost 3-4 to Boston Celtics

1962-63: Lost 2-4 to Boston Celtics

1964-65: Lost 1-4 to Boston Celtics

1965-66: Lost 3-4 to Boston Celtics

1967-68: Lost 2-4 to Boston Celtics

1968-69: Lost 3-4 to Boston Celtics

1969-70: Lost 3-4 to New York Knickerbockers

1971-72: Won 4-1 over Washington Bullets

1972-73: Lost 1-4 to New York Knickerbockers

1979-80: Won 4-2 over Philadelphia 76ers

1981-82: Won 4-2 over Philadelphia 76ers

1982-83: Lost 0-4 to Philadelphia 76ers

1983-84: Lost 3-4 to Boston Celtics

1984-85: Won 4-2 over Boston Celtics

1986-87: Won 4-2 over Boston Celtics

1987-88: Won 4-3 over Detroit Pistons

1988-89: Lost 0-4 to Detroit Pistons

1990-91: Lost 1-4 to Chicago Bulls

1999-00: Won 4-2 over Indiana Pacers

2000-01: Won 4-1 over Philadelphia 76ers

2001-02: Won 4-0 over New Jersey nets

2003-04: Lost1-4 to Detroit Pistons

Some of the many notable Lakers have been:

• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1976-1989) Hall of Famer

• Mahdi Abdul-Rahman (Walt Hazzard) (1965-1967)

• Lucius Allen (1975-77)

• Dick Barnett (1963-65)

• Elgin Baylor (1959-1972) Hall of Famer

• Kobe Bryant (1997-)

• Elden Campbell (1991-98)

• Cedric Ceballos (1995-96)

• Wilt Chamberlain (1969-1973) Hall of Famer

• Archie Clark (1967-68)

• Mel Counts (1967-1970, 73-74)

• Adrian Dantley (1978-79)

• Vlade Divac (1990-96, 2005)

• Larry Foust (1958-59)

• Gail Goodrich (1966-68, 1971-76) Hall of Famer

• A.C. Green (1986-1993, 2000)

• Happy Hairston (1970-75)

• Connie Hawkins (1974-76) Hall of Famer

• Spencer Haywood (1980)

• Magic Johnson (1980-1991, 96) Hall of Famer

• Eddie Jones (1995-98)

• Rudy LaRusso (1960-67)

• Clyde Lovellette (1954-57) Hall of Famer

• Maurice Lucas (1986)

• Karl Malone (2004) Hall of Famer

• Slater Martin (1950-56) Hall of Famer

• Bob McAdoo (1982-85) Hall of Famer

• Jim McMillian (1971-73)

• George Mikan (1949-1956) Hall of Famer

• Vern Mikkelsen (1950-59) Hall of Famer

• Norm Nixon (1978-1983)

• Lamar Odom (2005-)

• Shaquille O'Neal (1997-2004)

• Gary Payton (2005)

• Jim "Kangaroo Kid" Pollard (1949-1955) Hall of Famer

• Glen Rice (1999-2000)

• Cazzie Russell (1975-77)

• Byron Scott (1984-1993, 97)

• Elmore Smith (1974-75)

• Sedale Threatt (1992-96)

• Nick Van Exel (1994-98)

• Jerry West (1961-1974) Hall of Famer

• Jamaal Wilkes (1978-1985)

• James Worthy (1983-1994) Hall of Famer

The following are all of the Lakers' coaches that have led the team to the NBA Finals:

John Kundla (1949-1959) Hall of Famer

    BAA/NBA Finals Championships: 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954

    NBA Finals appearances: 1959

Fred Schaus (1961-67)

    NBA Finals appearances: 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966

Butch Van Breda Kolff (1968-69)

    NBA Finals appearances: 1968, 1969

Joe Mullaney (1970-71)

    NBA Finals appearance: 1970

Bill Sharman (1972-76)

    NBA Finals Championship: 1972

    NBA Finals appearance: 1973

Paul Westhead (1980-82)

    NBA Finals Championship: 1980

Pat Riley (1982-1990)

    NBA Finals Championships: 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988

    NBA Finals appearances: 1983, 1984, 1989

Mike Dunleavy (1991-92)

    NBA Finals appearance: 1991

Phil Jackson (2000-04, 06-) Hall of Famer

    NBA Finals Championships: 2000, 2001, 2002

    NBA Finals appearance: 2004

The pattern of the Los Angeles Lakers fabric consists of purple and yellow squares. Within the squares are basketballs, #42 jerseys and the Lakers' logo.

This Los Angeles Lakers fabric is licensed by the NBA and is for individual consumption. Any other use of this NBA fabric is prohibited and illegal. The Los Angeles Lakers cotton fabric is not suitable for children's sleepwear.