Retired NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson recently named their personal all-time starting units.
Interestingly, both all-time lineups were filled with current or former Los Angeles Lakers stars.
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Barnes and Jackson, co-hosts of the “All the Smoke” podcast, were asked to pick starters and sixth men from any point in the league’s history. Then, to complete their lineups, they were tasked to select four present-day players.
As someone who once played for the Purple and Gold himself, Barnes showed his respect for the franchise by naming four Lakers to his all-time team. He listed Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James as starters with Anthony Davis coming off the bench.
Jackson also selected Davis as part of his present-day bench to make it four Lakers on his own all-timers list as well. However, Jackson chose to go with Shaquille O’Neal instead of Johnson as one of his starters.
Barnes’ and Jackson’s selections of three starters from the Lakers are testaments to the franchise’s legacy of acquiring the league’s top players. Their 16 titles trail only the Boston Celtics’ 17 for the most championships of any franchise.
Despite missing the playoffs for several years during the last decade, the Lakers returned to the forefront of the NBA this year thanks to the acquisition of James back in 2018 and Davis last June.
The team was at the top of the Western Conference standings prior to the NBA’s stoppage last month prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.
It will have a good chance to win the championship this season with James and Davis leading the way if the league is able to resume play.
