The Los Angeles Lakers are a professional basketball team that plays in the NBA (National Basketball Association). The team was founded in 1947 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was known as the Minneapolis Lakers. They relocated to Los Angeles in 1960.

The Lakers are one of the most successful franchises in NBA history, having won 17 NBA championships (as of 2021), tied for the most with the Boston Celtics. The Lakers have had many legendary players over the years, including Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James.

The team is owned by the Buss family, with Jeanie Buss serving as the team's controlling owner and president. The Lakers play their home games at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, which they share with their city rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers, as well as the NHL's Los Angeles Kings.

Over the years, the Lakers have built up a fierce rivalry with other teams, particularly the Boston Celtics. The two teams have met in the NBA Finals a record 12 times, with the Lakers winning nine of those matchups. The Lakers have also had notable rivalries with other teams, such as the Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, and Golden State Warriors.

The Lakers have also been involved in several off-court controversies and scandals over the years. One notable example is the Shaquille O'Neal-Kobe Bryant feud in the early 2000s, which eventually led to O'Neal being traded to the Miami Heat in 2004. Another controversial moment in Lakers history came in 2007, when then-coach Phil Jackson published a book in which he criticized several of his former players, including Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.

Despite these controversies, the Lakers remain one of the most popular and successful teams in the NBA, with a large and passionate fan base both in Los Angeles and around the world.