Jeanie Buss catches heat for list of top 5 most important Lakers
In a recent interview on the "All the Smoke" podcast, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss spoke about some of her favorite memories in the franchise's history. Podcast co-hosts Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson asked Buss to list her top five most important Lakers of all time.
The question was admittedly a difficult one and it clearly stressed out Buss from the get-go as she asks for clarification of "important" before rattling off Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, whose tenure with the franchise is the shortest of the group but includes the franchise's 17th championship and a crucial role in making Staples Center a voting center last fall.
"I like to say he's like the closest thing to a superhero I've ever met," Buss said earlier in the interview on James, "in that he's so powerful and strong and smart, but he does things for the good."
She then adds Magic Johnson to the list after a prompt from Barnes.
"Of course, Magic," Buss said. "Magic might be No. 1," before doubling back. "No, Kareem. I don't know, it's so hard.”
After taking some time to think about her fifth pick, Barnes suggests coach Phil Jackson, who won five championships with the Lakers and was once engaged to Buss.
"Does Phil count?" Buss asks before conceding that he would round out her picks.
The interview was posted Thursday but picked up steam on social media a day later when a Twitter account shared a graphic of Buss' list, mistakenly saying she was asked to select only players.
Jeanie Buss named the five most important players in Lakers history:
Kobe Bryant
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
LeBron James
Magic Johnson
Phil Jackson pic.twitter.com/tYyInkymzu— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) April 23, 2021
People questioned why she left off other stars such as Shaquille O'Neal, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West. The omission of West, in particular, inflamed Twitter (quite a coup, we know). In addition to a playing career spent entirely with the Lakers, and which included 14 All-Star appearances and cult status as the NBA logo, West built the modern Lakers dynasty as an executive for nearly two decades.
jerry west finding out jeanie buss left him off the most important lakers in history list pic.twitter.com/LIJI3pZxlj
— buckets (@buckets) April 24, 2021
Why is jerry west not the list
You can make a case for jerry west being the most important player in lakers history
8 finals
Drafted kobe and magic, signed shaq
6 rings as executive of the team— castro (@Castro54559800) April 24, 2021
I'm not a Lakers fan, but Jerry West needs to be on that list, along with Elgin Baylor. And, if the Minneapolis Lakers are included, George Mikan has a serious case, too. It's a tough list to crack, but still...
— Marc Sheehan (@MarcSheehan006) April 24, 2021
No disrespect but Lebron does not belong on this list at all....what about Shaq, West, Worthy, Baylor, Cooper, Riley, just a few staples in Lakers history....maybe she felt she had to name Lebron or else he would’ve demanded to get traded...
— Carl Olivar🇺🇸🇲🇽 (@cptsolo824) April 24, 2021
@JeanieBuss Absolutely disgraceful no Elgin Baylor or Jerry West. But we know it's because Phil hates West and Elgin was Clippers GM for so long. GTFOH https://t.co/xeeDVu2vVQ
— Rob (@goblok251) April 24, 2021
Phil Jackson is a coach & if anything Shaq should be on this list over Bron. Got y’all a 3-peat‼️ @JeanieBuss https://t.co/Sm5nQQVf83
— Kev (@kvcbbba) April 24, 2021
Well, I need to have a word @JeanieBuss How does Jerry West not get mentioned? As both a player and executive. https://t.co/dXQIQ7fLXF
— JEANIE WEEMS (@favor8art) April 24, 2021
Jeanie Buss done did the Kevin Durant trick and forgot about Jerry West on that list. I hope there is no bad blood between the Lakers and Jerry. Hes the main reason for many thing: Lakers Lore. Kobe. Shaq. Gasol. Etc.
— 📱⌚️🤦🏾♂️🤘🏾 (@TimmyTheButcher) April 24, 2021
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.