The SoCal VoCals are the first of nine a cappella groups from the University of Southern California . Founded in 1996, the group's signature achievement is being the only a cappella group to win five titles in ICCA , which it accomplished in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, and 2018. In 2020, The A Cappella Archive ranked The SoCal VoCals at #1 out of all ICCA-competing groups.
125-751: The group comprises between 13 and 19 male and female students who arrange and sing songs from multiple genres, including pop, rock, and jazz. The group has released seven albums and has performed in venues including the Staples Center , Walt Disney Concert Hall , the Rose Bowl , the Los Angeles House of Blues , the Hollywood Bowl , Carnegie Hall and the Getty Center . The SoCal VoCals are known for their energetic performance style and school spirit: they are
250-512: A helicopter crash in January 2020, a number of media outlets picked up on a phrase used by some, referring to the arena as "The House That Kobe Built", due to his historic 20-year career with the Lakers. On August 24, 2020, Los Angeles City Council president Herb Wesson announced a proposal to rename the stretch of Figueroa Street around Staples Center to " Kobe Bryant Boulevard ". In September 2021,
375-470: A GRAMMY nomination for “Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals”. In 2023, SoCal VoCal alumni Izzy Kaye, JEJ Vinson, and Tabon Ward aired on NBC’s “The Voice” S23 as vocal trio Sheer Element where they joined Kelly Clarkson’s team. Staples Center Crypto.com Arena (stylized as crypto.com Arena ; originally known as Staples Center ) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in downtown Los Angeles . Opened on October 17, 1999, as Staples Center, it
500-423: A Laker, Chamberlain set a team record by averaging a league-leading 21.1 rpg. West, Baylor, and Chamberlain each averaged over 20 points, and Los Angeles won their division. The Lakers and Celtics again met in the finals , and Los Angeles had home court advantage against Boston for the first time in their rivalry. They won the first game behind Jerry West's 53 points, and had a 3–2 lead after five. Boston won
625-429: A book about the team's 2003–04 season, in which he heavily criticized Bryant and called him "uncoachable". The Lakers front office said that the book contained "several inaccuracies". The Lakers also traded Rick Fox and Gary Payton to Boston, for Chris Mihm , Marcus Banks , and Chucky Atkins before the 2004–05 season . Derek Fisher, frustrated with losing playing time, opted out of his contract and signed with
750-464: A buzzer-beater by Mike Bibby , the Lakers were faced with a must-win game six. In one of the most controversial playoff games in league history ( Tim Donaghy 's betting scandal ), the Lakers would win by four points. The Lakers went on to win game seven in overtime, with the Kings missing numerous potentially game-saving shots and free throws. The Lakers then achieved a three-peat by sweeping Jason Kidd and
875-471: A cappella group called Level. They have since performed on The Late Late Show with James Corden. Another SoCal VoCal alum, Gabriel Leung, has joined them on occasion. In 2014, SoCal VoCal alumnus Ben Bram co-founded A Cappella Academy along with fellow Sing-Off arranger Rob Dietz, and former Pentatonix bass vocalist, Avi Kaplan . The camp has produced many of the nation's top a cappella singers. In 2018, SoCal VoCal then-current member Elizabeth Gaba placed in
1000-587: A first-round loss to the Rockets , Johnson decided to retire for the final time after the season. During the 1996 off-season, the Lakers acquired 17-year-old Kobe Bryant from the Charlotte Hornets for Vlade Divac ; Bryant was drafted 13th overall out of Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania in that year's draft , by Charlotte. Los Angeles also signed free-agent Shaquille O'Neal . Trading for Bryant
1125-499: A generic name for the duration of the Games. In 2013 and 2016 , the arena hosted the finals of the League of Legends World Championship . Along with hosting many episodes of Raw and SmackDown , such as the latter's 20th anniversary season premiere on October 4, 2019, Crypto.com Arena has also hosted the following WWE pay-per-views: A broadcast of WCW Monday Nitro was held at
1250-572: A knee injury. O'Neal averaged 26.2 ppg and 12.5 rpg and finished third in the league in blocked shots (2.88 bpg) in 51 games. The Lakers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs as O'Neal scored 46 points in Game ;1 against the Trail Blazers, marking the highest single-game playoff scoring output by a Laker since Jerry West scored 53 against
1375-556: A league-low 19 games. They had hired Mikan, who had been the team's general manager for the previous two seasons, as head coach to replace Kundla. Mikan was fired in January when the team was 9–30, and Kundla was rehired. The Lakers earned the top pick in the 1958 NBA draft and used it to select Elgin Baylor . Baylor, who was named NBA Rookie of the Year and co-MVP of the 1959 NBA All-Star Game , averaged 24.9 ppg and 15.0 rpg helping
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#17328956596821500-527: A memorial took place at the arena for rapper Nipsey Hussle following his death on March 31, 2019. The memorial service took place on April 11, 2019. Attendees and performers included rapper YG , Stevie Wonder who sang "Tears in Heaven", his wife Lauren London , Jhené Aiko , Anthony Anderson , Marsha Ambrosius and Snoop Dogg who gave a eulogy. A hurst procession after the service followed through various South Los Angeles communities. In 2020, it served as
1625-646: A potential game-winning 18 foot jump shot in regulation, a miss which he said in June 2010 still haunted him more than 40 years later. Los Angeles won 53 games in 1962–63 , behind Baylor's 34.0 ppg and West's 27.1 ppg but lost in the NBA Finals in six games to the Celtics. After falling to 42–38 and losing in the first round of the 1964 NBA playoffs to the Hawks, the team won 49 games in 1964–65. The Lakers surged past
1750-437: A rebound. The team's starting power forward, Kermit Washington , who was averaging 11.5 points and 11.2 rebounds, entered the fight, and when Rudy Tomjanovich ran in from the bench to break up the action, Washington punched him in the face. Tomjanovich nearly died from the punch, suffering a fractured skull and other facial injuries, which prematurely ended his playing career. Washington, who stated that he assumed Tomjanovich
1875-510: A record for longest winning streak of any team in major American professional team sports. The Lakers won 69 games that season, which stood as the NBA record for 24 years until the Chicago Bulls won 72 games in 1995–96. Chamberlain averaged a low 14.8 points but led the league in rebounding at 19.2 a game. West's 9.7 assists per game (apg) led the league, he also averaged more than 25 points, and
2000-507: A secret tunnel (connecting the away team's locker room to the backdoor of the Clippers locker room) to confront former Clipper teammates Austin Rivers and Blake Griffin . Paul was joined by teammates Trevor Ariza , James Harden , and Gerald Green to confront the opponents, which only resulted in verbal altercations. Following the death of Kobe Bryant , his daughter Gianna, and seven others in
2125-461: A trade to either New York or Los Angeles. He was traded for Elmore Smith , Brian Winters , Junior Bridgeman , and Dave Meyers . Abdul-Jabbar had his fourth MVP season in 1975–76 , leading the league in rebounding, blocked shots, and minutes played. The Lakers struggled in January, going 3–10, and finished out of the playoffs at 40–42. West and Cooke settled their differences—and the former Laker's lawsuit—and Cooke hired him to replace Sharman as
2250-702: Is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street , and has since been considered a part of L.A. Live . Owned and operated by Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), it is the home venue of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL)—which are both owned in part by AEG's founder Philip Anschutz , as well as
2375-533: The 1972–73 season , and took another Pacific Division title. Wilt Chamberlain, playing in his final season, again led the league in rebounding and set the NBA record for field-goal percentage at 72.7% which stood for several decades. The team defeated the Chicago Bulls in seven games in the conference semifinals, then the Golden State Warriors in five in the Western Division Finals. They played
2500-522: The 1979 NBA draft . The combination of Johnson, a prodigy point guard , and dominant center in Abdul-Jabbar provided the Lakers with superstars to anchor their roster. The promotion of head coach Pat Riley in 1981 and addition of forward James Worthy through the 1982 draft established the Lakers as an NBA powerhouse throughout the 1980s. The franchise won five championships in a nine-year span, including two out of three marquee Finals matchups against
2625-472: The 1986–87 season , the Lakers moved A.C. Green into the starting lineup, and acquired Mychal Thompson from the Spurs. Johnson won his first career MVP Award while leading the Lakers to a 65–17 record, and Michael Cooper was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Before the season, Riley had made the decision to shift the focus of the offense to Johnson over the 40-year-old Abdul-Jabbar. The Lakers advanced to
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#17328956596822750-404: The 1993–94 season , Pfund was fired during the season that would result in the Lakers failing to make the playoffs for the first time since 1976. Magic Johnson, would coach the final 16 games of the season with former teammate Michael Cooper as his lead assistant. Johnson decided not to take the job permanently due to what he felt was a lack of commitment from certain players, and Los Angeles ended
2875-510: The Baltimore Bullets in the division finals, behind West's record-setting 46.3 ppg in the series. They lost again to the Celtics in the Finals however, this time in five games. Los Angeles lost in the finals to Boston in seven games again in 1966, this time by two points. Down by 16 entering the fourth quarter, and 10 with a minute and a half to go, the Lakers mounted a furious rally in
3000-466: The Golden State Warriors later achieved this feat in 2022 . In the 1985–86 season , the Lakers started 24–3 and went on to win 62 games and their fifth straight division title. The Rockets , however, defeated the Lakers in five games in the Western Conference Finals . Houston won the series when Ralph Sampson hit a 20-foot jumper as time expired in game five at The Forum. Prior to
3125-531: The Great Western Forum . Before the 1999–2000 season , West was prepared to hire Rambis as the team's full-time coach before an outcry from fans and members of the organization caused him to seek out a bigger name. Los Angeles hired former Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson , who had coached that team to six championships, and gave him a lucrative $ 6 million a year contract. He brought along assistant Tex Winter and they installed Winter's version of
3250-643: The Los Angeles Kings Monument was erected in Star Plaza in 2016. The Statue of Kobe and Gianna Bryant was erected in 2024. A third statue of Kobe Bryant, honoring his number 24, is planned. In November 2024, the Lakers announced plans to honor former player and coach Pat Riley with a statue in Star Plaza. Following is a list of statues on display: Played for the Lakers from 1996 to 2004 The arena has been referred to as "the deal that almost wasn't." Long before construction broke ground, plans for
3375-663: The NBA Finals by sweeping the Nuggets , defeating the Warriors in five games, and sweeping the SuperSonics in the Western Conference Finals . The Lakers defeated Boston in the first two games of the Finals, and the teams split the next four games, giving Los Angeles their second championship in three seasons. The series was highlighted by Johnson's running "baby hook" shot to win game four at Boston Garden with two seconds remaining. Johnson
3500-549: The NBA Finals in 10 years, they once again faced the Detroit Pistons . Hampered by injuries to Byron Scott and Johnson, the Lakers were swept by Detroit. Following the 1989 Finals, on June 28, 1989, after 20 professional seasons, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar announced his retirement. The Lakers still cruised through the Pacific Division, winning their ninth consecutive division crown with a 63–19 record. However, after beating
3625-496: The NBA Finals . In the Finals, they would lose to Detroit in five games. During the 2004 off-season, the team entered a rebuilding phase when O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom , Brian Grant , Caron Butler , and a first-round draft pick. Bryant and O'Neal had clashed in the past , and the media credited their feud as one of the motivating factors for the trade. Jackson did not return as head coach, and wrote
3750-709: The National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference . The Lakers play their home games at Crypto.com Arena , an arena they share with the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association , and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League . The Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA with 17 championships,
3875-469: The New Jersey Nets in the NBA Finals . O'Neal won each of the Finals series' MVP awards, making him the only player besides Michael Jordan to win three consecutive Finals MVPs. The Lakers would attempt a four-peat the following year, but started the 2002–03 season 11–19. However, they finished the season 39–13 to finish 50–32. They defeated Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs , but
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4000-593: The Pac-10 Conference men's basketball tournament (2002–12), the WTA Tour Championships (2002–05), UFC 60 in 2006, UFC 104 in 2009, UFC 184 in 2015, UFC 227 in 2018, the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships , the Summer X Games indoor competitions (2003–13), and several HBO Championship Boxing matches. On January 22, 2006, Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant scored a career-high 81 points in
4125-489: The Rockets in the first round, they lost four games to one in the second round of the playoffs to the Suns . Riley announced he was stepping down after the season citing burnout , and was replaced by Mike Dunleavy . Riley's departure received a mixed reaction from the players. They respected his contributions, but some, such as Worthy and Scott, had grown tired of his intense practices and felt he tried to take too much credit for
4250-574: The Spurs in the first round of the Western Conference Finals before pulling out a tough seven-game series win over the Utah Jazz led by youngsters Karl Malone and John Stockton . A seven-game Western Conference finals win over the Dallas Mavericks propelled the Lakers to the NBA Finals once again. In their seventh trip to the Finals in nine years, they met the Detroit Pistons . Los Angeles would take
4375-602: The WNBA 's Los Angeles Sparks . The Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA also played in the arena from 1999 to 2024 , before leaving for their new arena, Intuit Dome , located in Inglewood . From 1999 to 2024, it was the only arena in the NBA shared by two teams, as well as one of only three North American professional sports venues (alongside SoFi Stadium in nearby Inglewood , and New Jersey's MetLife Stadium ) to have hosted two teams from
4500-611: The Western Conference playoffs . In the NBA Finals , the Celtics were again the Lakers' final hurdle. Los Angeles lost game one of the NBA Finals by a score of 148–114, in what is remembered as the "Memorial Day Massacre". The Lakers, behind 38-year-old Finals MVP Abdul-Jabbar, recovered to defeat the Celtics in six games. The team won the title in the Boston Garden and became the first visiting team to ever win an NBA championship in Boston, as
4625-552: The playoffs , they swept Portland and defeated San Antonio four games to one to advance to the Western Conference Finals to face Sacramento . The series would go on to be known as one of the greatest playoff matchups in NBA history. The series extended to all seven games and ended in a Lakers victory. In game one, Bryant scored 30 points as the Lakers won, 106–99. The series would then shift in Sacramento's favor, with
4750-525: The triangle offense . The Lakers signed veterans Brian Shaw , John Salley , Ron Harper , and A.C. Green , who was a Laker during the "Showtime" era. The team also moved to a new arena, the Staples Center. Led by league MVP O'Neal, the Lakers won 31 of their first 36 games. They finished 67–15, the highest win total since they won 65 in the 1986–87 season . Then eliminated Sacramento and Phoenix in
4875-500: The 1949 BAA championship. Following the merger of the NBL and the BAA into the NBA in 1949, the Lakers won four of the next five NBA championships. After struggling financially in the late 1950s, they relocated to Los Angeles before the 1960–61 season . The Lakers made the NBA Finals six times in the 1960s, but lost every series to the Celtics, beginning their long and storied rivalry . In 1968,
5000-465: The Celtics in 1969. In the next round, the Lakers lost in five games to the Utah Jazz . In the 1997–98 season , O'Neal and the Lakers had the best start in franchise history, 11–0. O'Neal would miss 20 games on the season due to an abdominal injury. Los Angeles battled Seattle for the Pacific Division title most of the season. In the final two months, the Lakers won 22 of their final 25 games, finishing 61–21, but still finished second to Seattle in
5125-435: The Celtics. The Lakers were defeated by their Boston archrivals in the 1984 Finals , but triumphed over them in 1985 and 1987 . After Riley departed and Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, and Worthy retired, the Lakers struggled in the early 1990s. It was not until 1996 when the team traded with the Charlotte Hornets for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant and signed center Shaquille O'Neal that the Lakers returned to dominance during
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5250-453: The Clippers broke ground on a new arena in Inglewood, California , known as Intuit Dome , which became its new home arena in 2024. On November 16, 2021, it was announced that the naming rights to Staples Center had been acquired by Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com , renaming it Crypto.com Arena effective December 25, 2021 (with the changeover coinciding with the Lakers' nationally televised Christmas Day game ). The deal
5375-479: The Clippers played their final regular season home game at the arena, against the Houston Rockets , losing 116–105. On May 1, 2024, the Clippers played their final playoff home game at the arena, against the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs , losing 123–93. Crypto.com Arena is expected to host gymnastics during the 2028 Summer Olympics . Per IOC rules, the venue must be referred to under
5500-517: The Crypto.com Arena against the Toronto Raptors , the second-highest number of points scored in a single game in NBA history, second only to Wilt Chamberlain 's 100-point performance . Of the team's six NBA championships since moving to the venue, the Lakers have celebrated their 2000 and 2010 victories at Crypto.com Arena with series-winning victories at home. Prior to the 2006–07 NBA season ,
5625-499: The Finals in 12 years. The 1991 Finals represented a changing of the guard as the Lakers were defeated in five games by the Chicago Bulls , led by superstar Michael Jordan . On November 7, 1991, Magic Johnson announced he had tested positive for HIV and would retire immediately. In their first season without Johnson, the team won 43 games to earn the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs . The Lakers were defeated in
5750-549: The Fort Wayne Pistons in the semifinals. Although they had losing records the next two seasons, they made the playoffs each year. Mikan came back for the last half of the 1955–56 season , but struggled and retired for good after the season. Led by Lovellette's 20.6 points and 13.5 rebounds, they advanced to the Conference Finals in 1956–57. The Lakers had one of the worst seasons in team history in 1957–58 when they won
5875-523: The Kings ultimately playing their first Stanley Cup Finals at the arena; on June 11, the Kings defeated the New Jersey Devils in Game 6 to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. The Lakers unveiled a new hardwood court before their preseason game on October 13, 2012. Taking a cue from soccer clubs, the primary center court logo was adorned with 16 stars, representing the first 16 championships
6000-405: The Kings winning the next two games. Facing a deficit in game 4, the Lakers had the ball with under 20 seconds to play. After misses by both Bryant and O'Neal, Kings center Vlade Divac tapped the ball away from the rim in an attempt to wind down the clock. It went straight into Robert Horry 's hands, who drained a game-winning three with under three seconds to play. After the Kings won game five on
6125-462: The LA Recreation and Parks Commission. Soboroff requested that they consider building the arena in downtown Los Angeles adjacent to the convention center. This proposal intrigued Roski and Anschutz, and soon a plan to develop the arena was devised. Months of negotiations ensued between Anschutz and city officials, with Roski and John Semcken of Majestic Realty Co. spearheading the negotiations for
6250-449: The Lakers acquired four-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Wilt Chamberlain , and won their sixth NBA title in 1972 , led by coach Bill Sharman . After the retirement of Chamberlain, the team traded for superstar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar . Two big changes came in 1979, first, Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers, and pioneered a vision of basketball as entertainment as well as sport. Second, the Lakers drafted Magic Johnson first overall in
6375-503: The Lakers defeated Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers four games to two win their first title since 1988 . West retired from his spot in the team's front office after the season after a power struggle between him and Jackson over control of the team's operations. After the season, starters Rice and Green left the team, and Los Angeles signed Horace Grant . The following season , the Lakers won 11 fewer regular season games than
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#17328956596826500-531: The Lakers franchise had won. A 17th star was added to the court and unveiled before their regular season opener on December 22, 2020, to represent the franchise winning its 17th championship in the 2020 NBA Finals . Crypto.com Arena has hosted the following championship events: In 2018, the arena hosted Monster Jam for the first time. In 2019, the PBR Unleash the Beast Series hosted its Iron Cowboy event at
6625-456: The Lakers had the first overall pick (the result of a trade with Cleveland midway through the 1979–80 season, when the Lakers had sent Don Ford and a 1980 first-round pick to the Cavaliers for Butch Lee and their 1982 selection) and selected James Worthy from North Carolina . The Lakers won the Pacific Division at 58–24, but Worthy suffered a leg injury in the last week of the season and missed
6750-479: The Lakers improve to second in their division despite a 33–39 record. After upsetting the Hawks in six games in the division finals, they returned to the NBA Finals, but were swept by the Celtics, beginning their long rivalry. In their last year in Minneapolis, the Lakers went 25–50. On January 18, 1960, the team was coming off a loss and traveling to St. Louis when their plane crash-landed. Snow storms had driven
6875-401: The Lakers improved to 54–26 in 1961–62 , and made the finals . In a game five victory, Baylor grabbed 22 rebounds and set the still-standing NBA record for points in a finals game with 61, despite fouling out of the game. The Lakers, however, lost to the Celtics by three points in overtime of game seven. Frank Selvy , after making two jumpers in the final 40 seconds to tie the game, missed
7000-471: The Lakers rallied to finish 47–35 and win the Pacific Division. They made the playoffs but managed just one win against Milwaukee in the conference semifinals. Following the season, West retired due to contract disagreements with Cooke, and filed a suit for unpaid back wages. After missing the playoffs in the 1974–75 season , the Lakers acquired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , who had won three league MVPs by that time. Abdul-Jabbar wanted out of Milwaukee, demanding
7125-464: The Lakers signed superstar LeBron James in 2018. In 2019, the team traded several of those prospects for star big man Anthony Davis . The Lakers—led by James, Davis, and coach Frank Vogel —won the team's 17th championship in 2020 , tying the Celtics for the most titles until 2024. The Lakers hold the record for NBA's longest winning streak , 33 straight games, set in 1971–72. 26 Hall of Famers have played for Los Angeles, while four have coached
7250-577: The Lakers' practice facility at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California for the 2011–12 season. During the 2010 NBA and NHL offseason, the arena was renovated with refurbished locker rooms for the Lakers, Kings, and Clippers, and the installation of a new US$ 10 million HD center-hung video scoreboard and jumbotron , replacing the original one that had been in place since the building opened in 1999. The Panasonic Live 4HD scoreboard
7375-633: The NBA D-League joined in 2006. It became home to the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League in 2000 until the team's discontinuation in 2009. Since its opening day, the arena has hosted seven NBA Finals series with the Lakers, the 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup Finals , three WNBA Finals , the 2002 U.S. Figure Skating Championships , the 52nd and 62nd NHL All-Star game, three NBA All-Star Games ( 2004 , 2011 and 2018 ),
7500-420: The NBA Finals, losing to the Celtics in 2008 but winning championships in 2009 and 2010 . The 2010 Finals marked the latest matchup of the Lakers and Celtics, with Los Angeles winning its 16th title. Jackson retired in 2011, and the Lakers endured their longest playoff drought in franchise history. Gasol departed in 2014, and Bryant retired in 2016. After rebuilding seasons with young, highly rated prospects,
7625-593: The NBL Championship that season. In 1948, the Lakers moved from the NBL to the Basketball Association of America (BAA), and Mikan's 28.3 point per game (ppg) scoring average set a BAA record. In the 1949 BAA Finals they won the championship, beating the Washington Capitols four games to two. Following the season, the BAA and the NBL merged to form the National Basketball Association (NBA). In
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#17328956596827750-535: The New York Knicks in the 1973 NBA Finals . Los Angeles took the first game by three points, but New York won the series in five games. During the 1973–74 season , the team was hampered by the loss of West, who played only 31 games before his legs gave out. Goodrich, averaging 25.3 points, helped the team to a late-season surge. Trailing the Golden State Warriors by three games with seven left to play,
7875-580: The New York Knicks, who defeated them 4–3. The next season the Lakers were defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks , led by future Laker Lew Alcindor (now known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ) in the Western Conference Finals. The 1971–72 season brought several changes. Owner Jack Kent Cooke brought in Bill Sharman as head coach, and Elgin Baylor announced his retirement early in the season after realizing that his legs were not healthy enough. Sharman increased
8000-779: The SoCal VoCals performed in competition at Town Hall in New York City. They won their third ICCA title, and became the first to have won the title by winning the Wildcard round. On April 18, 2015, the SoCal VoCals competed at the Beacon Theatre to win for the fourth time, claiming the newly minted trophy and adding to their already-unchallenged record of victories.. On April 21, 2018, the SoCal Vocals returned to The Beacon Theatre to win ICCA for
8125-599: The Taylor Swift banner during home games, and the banner was taken down entirely in December 2020. Mexican musicians Gloria Trevi and Alejandra Guzmán played two sellout shows at the arena in 2017. Rapper Nipsey Hussle 's memorial service was held at the venue on April 11, 2019. As part of Super Bowl LVI festivities, the arena hosted the "Super Bowl Music Fest" in February 2022, headlined by Halsey , Machine Gun Kelly , Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani , Miley Cyrus , and Green Day . The annual Grammy Awards ceremony has been held at Crypto.com Arena since 2000 , with
8250-455: The VoCals competed in Season 2 of "The Sing-Off" as members of "The Backbeats." In 2011 Scott Hoying , a member of the SoCal VoCals, led a team of five people to win NBC's third season of "The Sing-Off" as Pentatonix . In 2013, VoCal alumni Emily Goglia competed on The Sing-Off as one of two leaders for the group Element. In 2013, SoCal VoCals Kenton Chen, Rachel Saltzman, Ben Bram, and Allie Feder joined with other Sing-Off alumni to form an
8375-441: The Warriors. The team hired Rudy Tomjanovich to replace Jackson. After sitting out the first half of the 2004–05 season , Malone announced his retirement on February 13, 2005. Tomjanovich coached the team to a 22–19 record before resigning due to health problems. Assistant Frank Hamblen was named interim head coach to replace Tomjanovich for the remainder of the season. Bryant (ankle) and Odom (shoulder) suffered injuries, and
8500-443: The Western Conference Finals. During the off-season, Los Angeles picked up Jamaal Wilkes from Golden State and signed first-round draft pick Norm Nixon . In the first two minutes of the first game of the 1977–78 season, Abdul-Jabbar punched Bucks center Kent Benson for an overly aggressive elbow and broke his hand. Two months later, a healthy Abdul-Jabbar got into an altercation with Houston Rockets center Kevin Kunnert after
8625-454: The Year Gary Payton to join O'Neal and Bryant, forming the first "superteam" of the 21st century. Three of the "big four", however, struggled with injuries: O'Neal suffered from a strained calf, Malone an injured knee, and Bryant an injured shoulder. The Lakers started 18–3 and finished 56–26 and won the Pacific Division title, entering the playoffs as the No. 2 seed. They defeated Houston , San Antonio , and Minnesota to advance to
8750-416: The arena celebrated its tenth anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, the venue's official web site nominated 25 of the arena's greatest moments from its first ten years with fans voting on the top ten. The Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League (AFL) and the South Bay Lakers of the NBA G League were also tenants of Staples Center; the Avengers folded in 2009, and the D-Fenders moved to
8875-431: The arena in the weeks prior to his death; he last had rehearsed there approximately 12 hours before his death (on the same day). It hosted the 1st Annual Latin Grammy Awards in 2000 and the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards . In 2011, Jenni Rivera became the first female regional Mexican musician to perform a sell-out at the arena. Taylor Swift has performed 16 sellouts at Crypto.com Arena—the most of any performer at
9000-1103: The arena on January 24, 2000. The arena hosted SmackDown and the 2023 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony on March 31 as well as NXT Stand & Deliver on April 1 and Raw on April 3, as part of WrestleMania 39 weekend. The 2000 Democratic National Convention was held at the venue. The arena has hosted three public memorials for celebrities. First, it was for the memorial of musician Michael Jackson following his death on June 25, 2009. The memorial took place on July 7, 2009. It included eulogies or performances from Smokey Robinson , Mariah Carey , Macaulay Culkin , Trey Lorenz , Queen Latifah , Lionel Richie , John Mayer , Stevie Wonder , Kobe Bryant , Magic Johnson , Jennifer Hudson , Berry Gordy , Rev. Jesse Jackson , Rev. Al Sharpton , Brooke Shields , Martin Luther King III , Bernice King , Sheila Jackson-Lee , Usher , Shaheen Jafargholi , Kenny Ortega , Judith Hill , Orianthi Panagaris , his siblings Marlon , Jermaine , and Janet , and his daughter Paris . In 2019,
9125-589: The arena were negotiated between elected city officials and real estate developers Edward P. Roski of Majestic Realty and Philip Anschutz . Roski and Anschutz had acquired the Los Angeles Kings in 1995 and in 1996 began looking for a new home for their team, which then played at the Forum in Inglewood . Majestic Realty Co. and AEG were scouring the Los Angeles area for available land to develop an arena when they were approached by Steve Soboroff , then president of
9250-484: The arena's seating, including 2,500 club seats, are in the lower bowl. There are also 160 luxury suites, including 15 event suites, on three levels between the lower and upper bowls. The arena's attendance record is held by the fight between World WBA Welterweight Champion Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley with a crowd of 20,820, set on January 25, 2009. Outside the arena at the Star Plaza are 13 statues of famous Los Angeles athletes and broadcasters. Additionally,
9375-451: The arena, marking the first PBR event to be held there. On June 9, 2019, the ACE Family hosted a charity basketball game against singer Chris Brown . On November 9, 2019, the arena hosted KSI vs. Logan Paul II , a boxing event headlined by a rematch between the two YouTubers . On November 28, 2020, the arena hosted the boxing event Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr . On April 14, 2024,
9500-616: The closing moments, which fell just short. After dropping to 36 wins and losing in the first round of the 1967 NBA playoffs , they lost in the finals to the Celtics again in 1968. Los Angeles moved to a brand-new arena, The Forum , in 1967, after playing seven seasons at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena . On July 9, 1968, the team acquired Wilt Chamberlain from the Philadelphia 76ers for Darrell Imhoff, Archie Clark , and Jerry Chambers . In his first season as
9625-436: The early 2000s. The superstar duo, along with Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson , led the Lakers to three consecutive championships between 2000 and 2002 , securing the franchise's second " three-peat ". The dynamic " Shaq-and-Kobe " era ended when the Lakers traded away O'Neal after the team lost to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 Finals . It was not until the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol that Bryant and Jackson returned to
9750-616: The exception of 2003, 2018, 2021 and 2022. As of 2023, the venue has hosted the Grammy Awards 21 times , hosting more than any other venue in the history of the Grammy Awards. The venue opened in 1999 as the home of the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers (NBA), and Los Angeles Kings of the NHL. The Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA joined in 2001, while the Los Angeles D-Fenders of
9875-487: The fifth time. The SoCal VoCals are the first group to ever win ICCA five times. In September, 2018, The SoCal VoCals took home second place at the A Cappella Open at Carnegie Hall in New York City. In November, 2009, one current member of the USC SoCal VoCals joined with seven VoCal alumni to compete as "The SoCals" on NBC's first a cappella competition, The Sing-Off . In 2010, five current and former members of
10000-656: The first act to perform at the venue on its opening in 1999. Dave Matthews Band famously played the venue twice in 2008, despite the first show being the day of founding member and saxophonist LeRoi Moore 's death. After the American singer Michael Jackson died in 2009, a televised memorial service was held at the arena. Its operator, AEG, had promoted the This Is It concert residency that Jackson had been scheduled to perform at The O2 Arena in London. Jackson had been rehearsing at
10125-525: The first overall pick. It took Johnson's teammates time to acclimate themselves to his passing ability, as his "no-look" passes often caught them unaware. Once they adjusted, his passing became a key part of Los Angeles' offense. The Lakers won 60 games in Johnson's rookie year, and defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in six games in the 1980 NBA Finals . Johnson won the Finals MVP award, after starting at center for
10250-568: The first phase over the 2022 NBA and NHL offseason included new video boards and ribbon displays, and updated concessions. There are plans for the City View Terrace to be converted into an indoor outdoor deck, a new area known as the Tunnel Club, Chick Hearn Court to be converted into a pedestrian plaza between the arena and the rest of L.A. Live, and updated player facilities such as locker rooms. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band were
10375-530: The first round by Portland . Following the season, head coach Mike Dunleavy was fired. The Lakers would lose 43 games in 1992–93 under Randy Pfund , their first losing season since 1976. The Lakers would still make the playoffs, and would become the first eighth seed to win the opening two games on the road against a number one seed when they took a 2–0 lead against Phoenix . They lost the next two games at home however, then game five in Phoenix in overtime. During
10500-488: The first three games. However, Kevin McHale 's hard clothesline foul of Lakers forward Kurt Rambis on a fast break is credited as a turning point of the series. Boston won three of the next four to win the title and send Los Angeles's record to 0–8 in Finals series against the Celtics. Using the past year's Finals defeat as motivation, the team won the Pacific Division for the fourth straight year and lost just two games in
10625-409: The first two rounds of the playoffs . After the Lakers took a three games to one lead in the Western Conference Finals against Portland , the Trail Blazers won the next two games to force a game seven. The Lakers, who trailed by 15 points in the fourth quarter, would go on 19–4 run to tie the game and eventually win 89–84 to advance to the NBA Finals . In their first trip to the Finals since 1991 ,
10750-454: The four-peat attempt ended as they were eliminated by San Antonio in six games in the second round. During the 2003–04 season , the team was the subject of intense media coverage generated by the teaming of four stars and the sexual-assault case involving Kobe Bryant . Before the season, the Lakers signed two-time MVP Karl Malone formerly of the Jazz , and former Seattle Defensive Player of
10875-455: The injured Abdul-Jabbar in game six, and tallying 42 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists. The team fell off in the 1980–81 season , though, as the Lakers lost Johnson for most of the season to a knee injury. The team turned in a 54–28 record and finished second behind the Phoenix Suns in the Pacific Division. The Rockets , led by Moses Malone , defeated Los Angeles in the first round of
11000-411: The lighting inside the arena was modified for Lakers games. The lights were focused only on the court itself (hence the promotional Lights Out campaign), reminiscent of the Lakers' early years at The Forum . The initial fan reaction was positive and has been a fixture on home games since. The Daktronics see-through shot clock was first installed prior to the 2008–09 NBA season . The Clippers adopted
11125-431: The location for the public memorial of basketball player Kobe Bryant following the death of him and his daughter Gianna, among others, in the 2020 Calabasas helicopter crash . It took place on February 24 (2/24, a reference to Gianna's and Kobe's basketball numbers) 2020. It included eulogies from his wife Vanessa, Shaquille O'Neal , Michael Jordan , Rob Pelinka , Diana Taurasi , and Sabrina Ionescu . Staples Center
11250-446: The new building, which opened two years later. It was financed privately at a cost of US$ 375 million and was named for the office-supply company Staples, Inc. , which was one of the center's corporate sponsors that paid for naming rights. Staples' 20-year naming rights deal was renewed in 2009. The arena opened on October 17, 1999, with a Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band concert as its inaugural event. On October 21, 2009,
11375-468: The new see-through shot clock prior to the 2010–11 NBA season . For Sparks games, the court used is named after Sparks player Lisa Leslie , and was officially named prior to the 2009 home opener against the Shock on June 23, 2006. The Los Angeles Kings hosted the 2010 NHL Entry Draft at the arena in June 2010. In 2012, the Clippers, Kings, and Lakers all advanced to their leagues' respective playoffs, with
11500-462: The newly formed league, the Lakers improved to 51–17 record and won their third straight professional championship. In the 1950–51 season, Mikan won his third straight scoring title at 28.4 ppg and the Lakers went 44–24 to win their second straight division title. One of those games, a 19–18 loss against the Fort Wayne Pistons , became infamous as the lowest scoring game in NBA history. In
11625-567: The only USC a cappella group to perform a rendition of the University's Alma Mater. In April, 2008, the SoCal VoCals took first place in the ICCAs at New York City's Lincoln Center , winning the title "Grand Champions." The next morning, they were featured on The Today Show . In April, 2010, the SoCal VoCals returned to Lincoln Center and reclaimed the ICCA title, making them one of only two groups to win that title more than once. On April 29, 2012,
11750-447: The pilot 150 miles off course when he was forced to land in a cornfield. No one was hurt. Their record earned them the number two pick in the 1960 NBA draft . The team selected Jerry West from West Virginia University . During the 1960 off-season, the Lakers became the NBA's first West Coast team when owner Bob Short decided to move the team to Los Angeles. Led by Baylor's 34.8 ppg and 19.8 rpg, Los Angeles won 11 more than
11875-531: The playoffs . Early in the 1981–82 season , Johnson complained to the media about head coach Paul Westhead and demanded a trade. Westhead was fired shortly after Johnson's criticisms, and although Lakers' owner Jerry Buss stated that Johnson's comments did not factor into the decision, Johnson was vilified by the national media and booed both on the road and at home. Buss promoted assistant coach Pat Riley to "co-head coach" with Jerry West (although West considered himself Riley's assistant) on November 19 and
12000-586: The playoffs, they defeated the Indianapolis Olympians in three games but lost to the Rochester Royals in the next round. During the 1951–52 season , the Lakers won 40 games, finishing second in their division. They faced the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals , which they won in seven games. In the 1952–53 season, Mikan led the NBA in rebounding, averaging 14.4 rebounds per game (rpg), and
12125-523: The prior year, but swept the first three rounds of the playoffs , defeating the Portland , Sacramento , and San Antonio . They met Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Finals . Although the Sixers took game one in overtime, the Lakers won the next four games to win their second straight title. Their 15–1 postseason record was the best in NBA history. The Lakers won 58 games in 2001–02 . In
12250-463: The real estate developers. The negotiations grew contentious at times and the real estate developers threatened to pull out altogether on more than one occasion. The main opposition came from Councilman Joel Wachs , who opposed utilizing public funds to subsidize the proposed project, and councilwoman Rita Walters , who objected to parts of it. Ultimately, the developers and city leaders reached an agreement, and in 1997, construction broke ground on
12375-469: The rest of the season. Nevertheless, they advanced to play Philadelphia in the 1983 NBA Finals after defeating Portland and San Antonio . The Sixers, however, won the series and the championship in four games. After the season West replaced Sharman as the team's GM. In the 1983–84 season , Los Angeles went 54–28, and played Boston in the Finals for the first time since 1969 . The Lakers won two of
12500-636: The same league. The venue is also frequently used for major concerts, and has been the most frequent host of the Grammy Awards ceremony since its opening. Crypto.com Arena will host the gymnastics competition during the 2028 Summer Olympics . Crypto.com Arena has 950,000 square feet (88,257.9 m ) of total space, with a 94-foot (28.7 m) by 200-foot (61.0 m) arena floor. It stands 150 feet (45.7 m) tall. The arena seats up to 19,067 for basketball , 18,145 for ice hockey , and around 20,000 for concerts or other sporting events. Two-thirds of
12625-487: The season with a 10-game losing streak to finish 33–49. Under new coach Del Harris , Los Angeles made the playoffs each of the next two seasons but was eliminated in the second and first rounds respectively. The team was led by young guards Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones . Johnson came out of retirement to return as a player in the 1995–96 season to lead the then 24–18 Lakers to a 29–11 finish. After some run-ins with Van Exel, displeasure with Harris's strategies, and
12750-648: The second most in the league behind the Boston Celtics . The franchise began in 1946 as the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League (NBL). After one season, a new ownership relocated the team to Minneapolis , Minnesota , and renamed the team as the Minneapolis Lakers . The Lakers won the 1948 NBL championship before joining the rival Basketball Association of America , where they won
12875-402: The series in seven games however, and earned their 11th NBA Championship in 13 seasons. West was named the first-ever Finals MVP ; this remains the only time that a member of the losing team has won the award. In 1970 , West won his first scoring title at 31.2 ppg, the team returned to the finals , and for the first time in 16 years, they did not have to face the Celtics; instead playing
13000-411: The series in seven games, and James Worthy's game seven triple-double earned him a Finals MVP award. The win marked their fifth title in nine years, but would also mark their last title until 2000 . In the 1988–89 season , Los Angeles won 57 games and their eighth consecutive Pacific Division crown. They swept through the playoffs defeating Portland , Seattle , and Phoenix . In an eighth trip to
13125-616: The standings. The Lakers defeated Portland three games to one in the first round to advance to face Seattle. Although the Sonics won the first game, the Lakers responded with four straight wins, taking the series, but were swept by the Jazz in the Western Conference Finals . During the 1998–99 season , All-Star guard Eddie Jones and center Elden Campbell were traded to the Charlotte Hornets. The team also acquired J. R. Reid , B. J. Armstrong , and Glen Rice . Head coach Del Harris
13250-448: The team to Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen of Minnesota for $ 15,000 Minneapolis sportswriter Sid Hartman played a key behind-the-scenes role in helping put together the deal and later the team. Inspired by Minnesota's nickname, "Land of 10,000 Lakes", the team rechristened themselves the Lakers. Hartman helped them hire John Kundla from College of St. Thomas , to be their first head coach, by meeting with him and selling him on
13375-441: The team won 17 of its next 20 games. Nicknamed " Showtime " due to the team's new Johnson-led fast break-offense, the Lakers won the Pacific Division title and swept both the Suns and Spurs in the 1982 playoffs . Los Angeles stretched its postseason winning streak to nine games by taking the first contest of the NBA Finals from the 76ers . The team won the Finals 4–2 to finish a 12–2 playoff run. On draft night in 1982 ,
13500-497: The team's coach. West became upset, however, when Cooke refused to spend the money necessary to acquire forward Julius Erving , who the Nets were selling. Behind another MVP season from Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles won the Pacific Division, finishing the 1976–77 season a league-best 53–29. They defeated the Warriors in a seven-game series to open the postseason before being swept by Portland in
13625-598: The team's discipline. He introduced the concept of the shootaround , where players would arrive at the arena early in the morning before a game to practice shots. They won 14 straight games in November and all 16 games played in December. They won three straight to open the year of 1972 but on January 9, the Milwaukee Bucks ended their winning streak by defeating the Lakers, 120–104. By winning 33 straight games, Los Angeles set
13750-479: The team's successes. Following the season, 1987 Defensive Player of the Year winner Michael Cooper decided to play in Europe and was waived at his request. The 1990–91 Lakers failed to win the Pacific Division for the first time in 10 years, but still finished with a 58–24 record. After cruising through the Western Conference playoffs , the Lakers found themselves in the NBA Finals once again, their ninth trip to
13875-417: The team. As the franchise had the worst record in the NBL the previous season, it got the first pick in the 1947 Professional Basketball League of America dispersal draft, which they used to select George Mikan . Led by Mikan, the Lakers had a solid roster, which also featured forward Jim Pollard and playmaker Herm Schaefer . In their first season, they led the league with a 43–17 record, later winning
14000-487: The team. Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, O'Neal, and Bryant won a combined eight NBA MVP awards with the Lakers. The franchise was founded in 1946 as the Detroit Gems and played in the National Basketball League (NBL) during the 1946–47 season where it finished last in the league with only 4 wins in 44 games. Though the team was scheduled to continue in the NBL the following season, its ownership, faced with high losses due to low attendance and lack of homecourt, decided on selling
14125-411: The top 24 for American Idol. In 2018, SoCal VoCal members Kaylah Baker and Nina Nelson left The SoCal VoCals to be a part of the all-female a cappella group, Citizen Queen . In 2019, tenor Jej Vinson reached the top 16 on NBC's The Voice and his blind audition of "Passionfruit" has amassed almost 10 million views on YouTube as of March 2020. In 2020 SoCal VoCal alumna Tehillah Alphonso received
14250-420: The venue. On August 21, 2015, prior to one of her performances on the 1989 Tour , Kobe Bryant presented Swift with a banner commemorating this achievement, which was hung in the arena's rafters. The Taylor Swift banner, however, became the subject of a curse among Lakers and Kings fans, who suspected that the banner was contributing to their teams' respective playoff droughts. Eventually, the Kings began to hide
14375-554: The year before in West's first season. On November 15 that season, Baylor set a new NBA scoring record when he scored 71 points in a victory against the New York Knicks while grabbing 25 rebounds. In doing so, Baylor broke his own NBA record of 64 points. Despite a losing record, the Lakers made the playoffs . They came within two points of the NBA Finals when they lost in game seven of their second round series against St. Louis. Led by Baylor and West at 38.3 and 30.8 ppg respectively,
14500-412: Was West's idea, and he was influential in the team's signing of the all-star center. "Jerry West is the reason I came to the Lakers", O'Neal later said. They used their 24th pick in the draft to select Derek Fisher . During the season , the team traded Cedric Ceballos to Phoenix for Robert Horry . O'Neal led the team to a 56–26 record, their best effort since 1990–91, despite missing 31 games due to
14625-615: Was a combatant, was suspended for two months by the NBA, and released by the Lakers. The team won 45 games despite being down a starter in Washington and not having Abdul-Jabbar for nearly two months, but lost in the first round of the playoffs to Seattle. During the 1978–79 season, the team posted a 47–35 record but lost to the SuperSonics in the semifinal round of the playoffs. In the 1979 NBA draft , Los Angeles selected 6-foot, 9-inch point guard Magic Johnson from Michigan State with
14750-598: Was drafted in 1952 , helped the team win the Western Division. The team won its third straight championship in the 1950s and fifth in six seasons when it defeated the Syracuse Nationals in seven games. Following Mikan's retirement in the 1954 off-season, the Lakers struggled but still managed to win 40 games. Although they defeated the Rochester Royals in the first round of the playoffs, they were defeated by
14875-511: Was fired in February after a three-game losing streak and replaced on an interim basis by former Laker Kurt Rambis . The team finished 31–19 in the strike-shortened season, which was fourth in the Western Conference. The Lakers defeated Houston in the first round of the playoffs, but were swept by San Antonio in the next round. Game four of the series would be the last game ever played at
15000-455: Was named Best Major Concert Venue for 1998 and Arena of the Year for 1999, 2000 and 2001 by Pollstar Magazine and has been nominated each year since 2000. In February 2013, PETA named the arena the most " vegetarian -friendly" arena in the NBA. Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles . The Lakers compete in
15125-472: Was named MVP of the 1953 NBA All-Star Game . After a 48–22 regular season, the Lakers defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons in the Western playoffs to advance to the NBA Finals . They then defeated the New York Knicks to win their second straight championship. Though Lakers star George Mikan suffered from knee problems throughout the 1953–54 season, he was still able to average 18 ppg. Clyde Lovellette , who
15250-553: Was named MVP of the 1972 NBA All-Star Game . The team failed to score 100 points just once all year, and at the end of the season, Bill Sharman was named Coach of the Year . The Lakers went on to reach the finals against the New York Knicks where they would avenge their 1970 finals loss by defeating them 4 games to 1. Chamberlain tallied 24 points and 29 rebounds in game five and won the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award . The Lakers won 60 games in
15375-479: Was named the NBA Finals MVP, in addition to regular season MVP. At the Lakers' championship celebration in Los Angeles, coach Riley brashly declared that Los Angeles would repeat as NBA champions, which no team had done since the 1968–69 Boston Celtics . Looking to make good on Riley's promise in the 1987–88 season , the Lakers took their seventh consecutive Pacific Division title with a 62–20 record. They swept
15500-464: Was officially unveiled on September 22, 2010, as AEG and Staples Center executives, as well as player representatives from the Lakers ( Sasha Vujacic ), Clippers ( Craig Smith ), and Kings ( Matt Greene ) were on hand for the presentation. On January 15, 2018, in the aftermath of an NBA basketball game between the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Clippers , point guard Chris Paul utilized
15625-414: Was reported to be valued at $ 700 million over 20 years, in comparison to the $ 116 million paid by Staples under its previous 20-year agreement—making it the most valuable naming rights contract in all of sports. The name change was met with opposition and many fans still refer to this arena as Staples Center. In 2022, the arena began to undergo a multi-phase renovation, expected to be completed in 2024;
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