The Lakers franchise has an extensive and storied history that actually predates the formation of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Lakers were founded in 1947, when Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen purchased a disbanded team called the Detroit Gems from the National Basketball League (NBL). ... This era was led by the likes of Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and "Big Game" James Worthy. ... Buss created the first squad of cheerleaders called the Laker Girls to entertain the fans during the game and at halftime. ... Those fans however, have no direct ...

• Word Count: 4030
• Approx Pages: 16
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School