Ever looked at a map of Los Angeles and wondered where the heck all the lakes are? You're not alone. It’s one of those sports trivia quirks that makes zero sense until you dig into the archives. If you’re asking where are the lakers originally from, the answer isn't Hollywood. It isn't even the West Coast.
The short version? They’re from Minnesota. The long version? It actually starts in a city that today’s Lakers fans would probably find hilarious: Detroit.
The Detroit Gems: The Franchise No One Wanted
Before they were the glitzy, purple-and-gold dynasty of Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant, this team was a complete and utter disaster. In 1946, the franchise was founded as the Detroit Gems. They played in the National Basketball League (NBL), which was basically the wild west of professional hoops.
Honestly, the Gems were pathetic.
They finished their only season in Detroit with a 4-40 record. That is not a typo. They won four games all year. They didn't have a real home court, jumping between high school gyms like the Holy Redeemer High School Gymnasium. Attendance was non-existent. The owners, C. King Boring and Maurice Winston, were basically hemorrhaging money. By 1947, they were ready to pull the plug.
That’s when two guys from Minnesota—Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen—stepped in. They bought the team for $15,000. In today’s money, that’s about $212,000. For a pro sports team. Think about that for a second. You can barely buy a decent condo for that now, let alone an NBA franchise.
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Why the "Lakers"?
When the team moved to Minneapolis in 1947, the "Gems" name was tossed in the trash where it belonged. They needed something that screamed Minnesota. Since the state’s nickname is the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," the choice was pretty obvious.
The Minneapolis Lakers were born.
They didn't just change the name; they changed the entire culture of the sport. Because they had been so bad in Detroit, they had the first pick in a dispersal draft. They used it to land George Mikan.
If you don't know Mikan, you should. He was the NBA's first true superstar—a 6-foot-10 giant who wore thick glasses and absolutely demolished people in the paint. With Mikan, the Lakers didn't just win; they dominated. They won five championships in Minneapolis between 1949 and 1954. They were the league's first real dynasty, playing at the Minneapolis Auditorium and the Minneapolis Armory.
The Identity Crisis: From Blue to Purple
Back then, they weren't wearing purple and gold. They wore powder blue and "canary" yellow. It was a nod to the Scandinavian heritage of Minnesota (the colors of the Swedish flag). It’s a far cry from the "Showtime" look we see at Crypto.com Arena today, but at the time, those colors meant excellence.
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So, Why Did They Move to LA?
If they were so successful in Minnesota, why leave?
Basically, it came down to two things: George Mikan retired, and the weather sucked. Okay, it was a bit more professional than that. When Mikan retired in 1954, attendance cratered. Minnesotans loved their Golden Gophers (the college team) and their high school basketball, but the pro game was struggling to keep people in seats during the brutal winters.
By the late 1950s, the team was struggling financially. Bob Short, who had bought the team in 1957, looked at the success the Dodgers had when they moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958. He saw the potential of the West Coast market.
In 1960, Short pulled the trigger. He moved the team to Los Angeles, making them the NBA's first West Coast team.
The weirdest part? They kept the name.
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Usually, when a team moves, they change the name to fit the local vibe (like the New Orleans Jazz becoming the Utah Jazz... which also makes no sense). But the Lakers had so much "brand equity" from their titles in the 50s that they decided to stick with it.
So now we have a team named after lakes in a city that is basically a desert.
Key Milestones in the Journey
- 1946: Founded as the Detroit Gems (NBL).
- 1947: Purchased and moved to Minneapolis; renamed the Lakers.
- 1948: Joined the BAA (which merged to become the NBA in 1949).
- 1949-1954: Won five titles in six years under coach John Kundla.
- 1960: Moved to Los Angeles to become the LA Lakers we know today.
What This History Tells Us
Understanding where are the lakers originally from gives you a lot of perspective on how much the NBA has changed. It started as a league of small-market teams playing in armories and gyms. The Lakers' move to LA was the catalyst that turned the NBA into a national, and eventually global, entertainment powerhouse.
If you’re a Lakers fan, you owe a debt of gratitude to those cold winters in Minneapolis. Without that foundation—and the $15,000 fire sale in Detroit—the most iconic brand in basketball might never have existed.
Actionable Insights for Fans & Historians:
- Check out George Mikan's highlights. It’s wild to see how the game was played before the three-point line or the shot clock.
- Look for "Throwback" gear. The NBA occasionally releases the MPLS powder blue jerseys. They are arguably some of the cleanest designs in sports history.
- Visit the Minneapolis Auditorium site. If you're ever in the Twin Cities, knowing where the original dynasty started adds a layer of depth to any sports road trip.
The next time someone tries to tell you the Lakers are "pure Hollywood," you can politely correct them. They're actually a bunch of guys from a jewelry store in Detroit who found their soul in a Minnesota lake.