Los Angeles Lakers All-Time Best Starting 5

The Lakers have had some incredible teams over their storied history, from Minneapolis to Los Angeles, from "Showtime" to Shaq and Kobe. Everyone has their favourites and opinions, but let's take a look at a team that would truly be unstoppable, an ultimate, all-time LA Lakers dream team and the past and present players that make it up.

Centre: Wilt Chamberlain

Sorry, Shaq. You may be the daddy, but Wilt the Stilt towers over you and everyone else to get this position 100 percent.

Now, this is not because of the still untouched, won't be for awhile 100-point game (sorry, Kobe). It's not about the legend or the statistical averages he stacked higher than his number of partners. Nobody comes close to screwing with Chamberlain, not even Kareem and his all-time point-leading sky-hooks can catch up (sorry 'cap). Bill Russell couldn't even stop him (much) and Wilt could put the D on the Celtics ring bearer too.

From Phila to killer Cali and the Lakers, Wilt was all killer and no filler, as he took up the whole paint and changed the game to make it his lane. Even with three guys tripling him in the painted area, Wilt had the key to it all. He owned it and everyone.

Now, who else could dominate this position?

Power Forward: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

A.C. almost made it, Gasol needs a few more years for retrospect and Karl Malone's really Utah's (but what a great year from one of the greatest), so our man at the four is going to have to be someone a little different.

The only way to settle this Kareem versus Wilt debate is to just put them on the same Dream Team and just hope they get along. If these two pivots played together, they'd create a twin tandem that would even scare legendary San Antonio duo David Robinson and Tim Duncan out of their spur. This formidable frontline would be too much, for double, triple or even full teams coming on the floor to defend them.

Kareem's no power forward, but he could draw defenders out of the paint for Wilt with his signature sky-hook shot (not that Wilt would need to rebound). Plus, if Wilt's not dropping 100, who better to carry the scoring load than the NBA's all-time points leader? The way to solve this best centre debate is to stand them next to each other and see what they're really made of.

Small Forward: Kobe Bryant

The greatest player in the league right now, palms on the ball down. Need we point anyone else in this position (albeit his un-natural one due to the selection of Jerry West at the two)?

Like the game, it's his.

Leading his Los Angeles Lakers to a second straight NBA Championship in 2010, Kobe Bryant once again cemented his status as best in the NBA, furthering his legend as one of the best ever to do it.

Sure, Kobe had a lot more help than usual, but still, No. 24 looked more and more like No. 23 in his dominance of the game. Kobe put on his fifth championship ring (one fewer than Jordan), but he couldn't even fit it on his swollen finger.

Still, today, Kobe doesn't just carry his team; he carries injury after injury as he plays through the pain en route to comfortable victories.

Where else can you put the best but No. 1? Said and done!

Shooting Guard: Jerry West

There is nothing east of Jerry West. How was the logo of the NBA not going to make this team? Here, he's even managed to push Kobe to the three like Shaq in the early millennium. Jerry West was the NBA, and in many ways, still is. Mr. Clutch could hit from anywhere, even his own court. The floor was Mr. Big Shot's.

Mr. Lakers gave everything to the Purple and Gold franchise. Through all the years of Boston heartbreak, to winning in the front office as a GM who was anything but general. From the skill to the savvy, this serious player had a set of fundamentals that helped write the book on the modern-day game of basketball (look out for the autobiography, too, coming next month).

This year, the logo was finally honored with a statue, and this Lakers legend's place on this team will forever be set in stone.

Point Guard: Magic Johnson

Now how about some Magic, a man who produced thrillers like pop's M.J. with Quincy Jones cool.

Earvin 'Magic' Johnson was a pharaoh in this league, at the top of the Lakers' pyramid. This no-look wizard wouldn't pass up anything and would unselfishly even play centre if you asked him to. Never fear, Magic's here.

There was no "showtime" without him, and no greater competitor for Jordan to beat and truly take the torch off of. He was the greatest player this league has seen not named M.J. with a Jeffrey in the middle. Without him, Kareem, Bird and the NBA itself would never have been the same.

The basketball was an extension of him, not the other way around, and so was the sport of basketball. His tricks of the trade changed the game. He's still making major moves in the business world today, trying to bring the NFL to Los Angeles, and who else to quarterback this team than the man that brought the NBA to the world?

Sixth Man: Robert Horry

Portland realise. Philadelphia have been through it. Sacramento know all too well. Hell, the whole league, United States and world know, that when it comes to coming off the bench and hitting championship jumpers, nobody can touch this man.

Even Kobe's best M.J. impression and Mr. Clutch have to give it up to Big Shot Bob when he's behind the arc.

From giving other people problems in the Houston days to the X-Factor championship Laker days, let history be the judge. Sure, Shaq, Mikan and Goodrich are criminally left off the chilling list, and "Big Game James" is Worthy too. Even Gasol and Odom could be here.

Still, until Derek Fisher out-shoots him, nobody will embody the sixth man position more than the Hall of Fame-bound legend that is Robert Horry. As the clock reads 0.0, there's no one else.