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After the humiliating defeat in the 1984 Finals, the Lakers didn't dominate the 1984-1985 season as people expected, but instead experienced a variety of ups and downs.
At the 1984 NBA Draft, the Lakers hadn't come away empty-handed; they had secured the promising Earl Jones, who claimed to be a hybrid of Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Jesus.
This seven-foot-tall, immensely talented black center was considered an underrated gem. Because of poor high school grades, he couldn't get into a Division I NCAA school and chose the Division II University of the District of Columbia instead.
In 1982, he led his team to the NCAA Division II National Championship and was considered exceptionally talented.
It just so happened that the Lakers felt it was time to find a backup for 37-year-old Jabbar, or the beasts constantly entering the league would knock down the old man, so they chose him.
