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#3 James Worthy
The LA Lakers selected James Worthy with the first overall pick of the 1982 NBA draft, and the wing man was a perfect fit in the fast-paced Lakers showtime era led by Magic Johnson. The 6-9 small forward made an immediate impact in his rookie season, averaging 13.4 points and setting a rookie franchise record of 57.9 percent from the field.
Worthy's eyewear became a part of his uniform after he was scratched in the eye in a game against the Utah Jazz in his sophomore year. He wore protective glasses from then throughout his entire career. In his 12-year career where he played 794 games with Magic Johnson, he was a seven-time All-Star, three-time champion, and was the NBA Finals MVP in 1988. They combined for a win percentage of .739.
#2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Magic Johnson was the perfect Robin for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in his early years. However, the roles were reversed when age caught up with the big man.
Abdul Jabbar's career highlights and awards are too many to mention. However, many feel he should have been awarded the 1980 NBA Finals MVP, which was given to Magic Johnson.
The then-rookie filled in for The Big Fella at the center in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals and completely blew out the Philadelphia 76ers. For his valiance, Magic Johnson was rewarded with the MVP award.
Regardless, Magic Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar went on to win 616 games out of 842 played. They recorded the most success in the playoffs (70.1%), losing only 47 of 157 games played.
#1 Michael Cooper
Michael Cooper was a rotation player throughout his spell with the LA Lakers but was an elite perimeter defender in a Magic Johnson-led squad that was offensive-minded. Cooper was selected to eight All-Defensive teams and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in 1987.
Despite coming off the bench, he played the most games with Magic Johnson (937). For the eleven years they played together, he was not a huge contributor offensively but was an invaluable member of the LA Lakers team that won five NBA championships from 1980-1988.
