Lakers 1971-72 championship team reunites for fundraiser

The 1971-72 Lakers championship team recently came together to raise $150,000 to benefit the West Coast Sports Medicine Foundation.

Legendary Lakers including Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Gail Goodrich, Jim McMillian, Jim Cleamons, Flynn Robinson and Keith Erickson were in attendance, along with coaches Bill Sharman and Bill Bertka.

The Lakers won their first championship outside of Minneapolis, beating the New York Knicks in five games (4-1). The late Wilt Chamberlain was named NBA Finals MVP.

Hall of Famer Bill Walton served as master of ceremonies at the Lakers Legends Charity Event, held Dec. 8, which raised funds for the inner-city outreach program Team to Win.

“WCSMF is such an incredible organization and my wife, Joyce, and I were excited to be able to contribute to the auction,” Sharman said. “Inner-city youth outreach is a cause close to our hearts and Team to Win gives these kids a leg up and opens the door to a better future by providing them free sports-medicine care, college scholarships, mentoring and athletic trainers at high schools.”

Guests were able to meet and greet with the former Lakers. The most popular auction item, raising $5,500, was a dinner for four at Sharman’s home with Erickson, Robinson and Cleamons.

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Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.