Lakers Moments: Kurt Rambis gets what he wants
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Seize the ball: The Lakers’ Kurt Rambis grabs a loose ball ahead of the 76ers’ Julius Erving on June 1, 1982.
Rambis spent nine of his 14 seasons in the NBA with the Lakers and won four championships with the team during the ‘Showtime’ era. He was known as the ultimate blue-collar player, praised by his teammates and fans for his unselfish play and defensive capabilities. He is ranked 30th in NBA history for all-time career offensive rebound percentage.
Beloved Lakers announcer Chick Hearn nicknamed Rambis ‘Superman,’ in reference to Clark Kent, because Rambis donned black goggles during games.
He retired in 1995 with 5,322 career points, 5,725 rebounds, 524 blocks and 846 steals. He went on to become an assistant coach for the Lakers, working alongside Phil Jackson from 2001-04 and 2005-09. He was considered a defensive specialist, and helped the Lakers win championships in 2002 and 2009.
Read more about Kurt Rambis and where he ranks among the Lakers with the highest field-goal percentage in All Things Lakers, the L.A. Times’ interactive database of all things purple and gold.
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-- Melissa Rohlin