2. Wilt Chamberlain, 1972
Of the acquisitions made by the Los Angeles Lakers over the years, few are quite as remarkable as the trade to acquire Wilt Chamberlain. Just one season removed from leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a championship, Chamberlain joined the Lakers in 1968 and made an immediate impact.
Los Angeles reached the NBA Finals in four of a possible five seasons with Chamberlain on the roster, and in 1972, finally took home a championship.
In a rematch of the 1970 NBA Finals, the Lakers defeated the New York Knicks to win the 1972 championship. Chamberlain was magnificent, averaging 19.4 points and 23.2 rebounds as he anchored the defense and scored efficiently on 60.0 percent shooting from the field.
In the close-out game, Chamberlain famously went off for 24 points, 29 rebounds, and four assists on 10-of-14 shooting from the field.
That was par for the course throughout the series, as Chamberlain routinely took over in crucial spots. In Game 3, which the Lakers won to take a 2-1 series lead, Chamberlain posted 26 points and 20 rebounds on 9-of-10 shooting from the field.
After a 69-13 regular season, the Lakers finally helped Jerry West win a championship with Chamberlain dominating in essential games.