(Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers have had a plethora of superstars wear their jersey.
One of those, albeit not mentioned often, is Jamaal Wilkes.
That’s why the team is celebrating his 70th birthday, thanking him for everything he did for the organization.
Legend. Happy Birthday Jamaal Wilkes. pic.twitter.com/vfOIgt9yrN
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 2, 2023
His birthday also marks the anniversary of when the Lakers swept the Phoenix Suns in 1982.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilkes were the team’s leading scorers, while Magic Johnson helped with his electrifying playmaking and rebounding to lead them to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, so the Suns were no rival for the Showtime Lakers.
Following a remarkable stint with the UCLA Bruins, “Silk,” as he was often known, spent his entire 12-year NBA career in the state of California.
He entered the league with the Golden State Warriors, staying there from 1974 through 1977 and winning one championship.
Wilkes later took his talents to the Lakers, where he’d go on to thrive and help the team win three more rings before retiring with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Throughout his career, he averaged 17.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, often serving as an explosive scorer.
Now, the Lakers have a prime opportunity to honor him the right way, as they’ll travel to the San Francisco Bay to face the Warriors for Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.
And, while it’s never easy to go against Stephen Curry and company, they sure have more than enough resources to steal one on the road and continue their long-withstanding history of playoff success.
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