Putting Together a Championship-Worthy Los Angeles Lakers' All-Time Roster

Putting Together a Championship-Worthy Los Angeles Lakers’ All-Time Roster

The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most storied sports franchises of all-time – not just in basketball, but in sports, in general. They were founded as the Minneapolis Lakers in 1947 and won five NBA titles before relocating to Los Angeles, where they now play at Crypto.com Arena – formerly STAPLES Center.

Over the past 75 seasons – one of which was spent in the NBL and another was spent in the BAA – the Lakers have compiled a 3,503-2,397 record in the regular season and a 464-307 record in the playoffs. They have won 33 division titles, 19 conference titles, and 17 NBA titles – they also won one NBL title.

Through the years, the Los Angeles Lakers have been represented by some of the greatest basketball talents of all-time. Of course, that makes you wonder – what would an all-time roster look like for the Lakers? More importantly, what players would be left off? Trust me, it’s a lot more difficult than you’d think.

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Los Angeles Lakers’ All-Time Starting Five

The first step in building out our Los Angeles Lakers all-time roster is determining the starting five. Taking a quick look at some of the legendary names that have put on a Lakers’ jersey over the years, it’s hard to narrow that list down to five – especially since we’re taking into account what position they usually play. 

In the interest of full transparency, I’m favoring the players who spent all or most of their career with the Lakers. Don’t worry, some of those that had brief stints with the team – I’m looking at you, LeBron James and Wilt Chamberlain – will make an appearance on the bench. For now, here’s our all-time starting five.

Point Guard – Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. He spent his entire 13-year career with the Lakers and would’ve continued playing if it weren’t for his HIV diagnosis – which forced him to miss four seasons between 1991 and 1994 before retiring in 1996. 

Johnson played 906 games in a Lakers’ jersey and started 763 of those. He averaged 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 11.2 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game. He was a 12-time All-Star, five-time NBA champ, three-time MVP, three-time Finals MVP, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002. 

Shooting Guard – Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 13 overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He spent his entire 20-year career with the team and averaged 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 36.1 minutes per game – he played in 1,346 games and started 1,198 of them. 

Bryant was an 18-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA shooting guard, 12-time All-Defensive guard, two-time scoring champion, five-time NBA champion, 2007-08 MVP, two-time Finals MVP, and four-time All-Star MVP. He’s a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

Small Forward – Elgin Baylor

Elgin Baylor was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1958 NBA Draft. He spent his entire 14-year career with the Lakers and was there when the team initially moved to LA. He put up 27.4 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 40.0 minutes per game – he played in 846 games.

Baylor was an 11-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA forward, and a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1958-59, the same season he won All-Star MVP for the first and only time in his career. He led the Lakers to eight NBA Finals, but never won because of the Celtics. 

Power Forward – George Mikan

George Mikan made his debut with the Minneapolis Lakers on November 4, 1948 and spent the next six seasons with the team before retiring. After enjoying his retirement during the 1954-55 season, he made a return to the Lakers in 1955-56 and played in 37 games before retiring again – this time for good. 

Mikan led the league in scoring as a rookie and defended his scoring title in the two seasons after that. While his scoring started to decline in his fourth season, he would lead the league in rebounds over the next two seasons. He was a four-time NBA Champion and also won a BAA title with the Lakers in 1949.

Center – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was originally drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1969 NBA Draft, but eventually joined the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the 1975-76 season. He spent the next 14 seasons with the Lakers before deciding to retire in 1989 as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. 

In 1,093 games with Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar averaged 22.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 2.6 blocks in 34.3 minutes per game. He was a six-time champion (five with the Lakers), six-time MVP, two-time Finals MVP, 19-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, and 11-time All-Defensive player. 

Filling Out the Rest of Our Los Angeles Lakers’ All-Time Roster

Now that we have our starting five set in stone, we need a bench. While the starters are known for setting the tone, the bench players are tasked with holding down the fort while those starters rest up – that way, they can stay fresh throughout the entirety of the game. A quality bench does a lot for a basketball team.

For the sake of this article, I’m going to select a Sixth Man and one backup for each position – giving us a total of 11 players on our Los Angeles Lakers’ all-time roster. What’s crazy about this group is that any one of them could easily be considered for a starting role on this roster – championship, here we come!

Sixth Man – LeBron James

LeBron James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, but has spent the past four years with the Los Angeles Lakers and is currently in his fifth season with the team. He led LA to an NBA Championship during the 2019-20 season – the fourth title of his career. 

James has played 259 games – and counting – with the Lakers. He has 27.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 8.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game since joining the Lakers. Despite joining the Lakers at 34 years old, his point, assist, and rebound averages are higher than his time in Miami and Cleveland.

Backup Point Guard – Jerry West

Jerry West was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1960 draft – two years after they drafted Elgin Baylor. The two formed a powerful duo and appeared in seven NBA Finals together – West had nine total and won the 1972 NBA Championship, but Baylor had already retired. 

West averaged 27.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.7 assists in 39.2 minutes per game – he played in 932 games for the Lakers, spending his entire 14-year career with the team. He was a 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA guard, five-time All-Defensive guard, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980. 

Backup Shooting Guard – Gail Goodrich

Gail Goodrich was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 10 overall pick in the 1965 NBA Draft – he was a teammate of West and Baylor. He spent the first three years of his career with the team before being sent to the Phoenix Suns in the expansion draft. After two years with the Suns, he returned to LA. 

Goodrich spent 9 of his 14 seasons with the Lakers, playing in 687 games and averaging 19.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.5 steals in 31.7 minutes per game in LA. He was a five-time All-Star, a one-time All-NBA guard, and won the 1972 Championship with Jerry West. Goodrich is now in the HOF.

Backup Small Forward – James Worthy

James Worthy was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1982 NBA Draft. He spent his entire 12-year career with the team and did a little bit of everything – except shoot from beyond the arc. He went on to play 926 games with the Lakers, 717 of which as a starting small forward. 

Worthy averaged 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 32.4 minutes per game. He was a 7-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA forward, three-time NBA Champion, and one-time NBA Finals MVP. He’s a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team and was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Backup Power Forward – Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors with the No. 3 overall pick in the 1959 NBA Draft. He spent the first six years of his career with the Warriors before being traded to the 76ers. After 3.5 seasons there, he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he finished his illustrious career. 

In five seasons with the Lakers, Chamberlain played in 339 games and averaged 17.1 points, 19.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. His numbers weren’t nearly as crazy as his time with the Warriors, but he still managed to lead the entire league in rebounds in four of his five seasons with the Lakers. 

Backup Center – Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. He spent the first four years of his career with the Magic before signing with the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the 1996-97 season. He spent the next eight seasons in LA, playing in 514 games with the franchise. 

O’Neal averaged 27.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.6 steals, and 2.5 blocks in 37.6 minutes per game with the Lakers. Between 2000 and 2002, O’Neal helped lead the Lakers to a three-peat, alongside Kobe Bryant. Shaq was named Finals MVP for each of those titles and won a fourth title with Miami. 

Los Angeles Lakers’ Players Who Missed the Cut

The 11 Los Angeles Lakers’ legends above are more than deserving of their spot on the all-time roster, but they’re also considered some of the greatest players ever – not just on the Lakers, but the entire NBA. And while they make up a majority of the Lakers’ history, there’s still a lot more where that came from. 

The truth is there are still a lot of great Lakers’ players who were not mentioned above – such as Robert Horry, Norm Nixon, Jamaal Wilkes, Rick Fox, and Michael Cooper. They each brought something unique to the Lakers and are forever remembered for their dedication and commitment to the franchise. 

Here are 5 other Lakers’ legends not mentioned above:

5. Byron Scott

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Byron Scott was drafted by the San Diego Clippers with the No. 4 overall pick in the 1983 NBA Draft, but was immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers and made his NBA debut with the team on October 28, 1983. He spent the next 10 years with the team and returned for an 11th season several years later. 

Scott played 846 games with the Lakers and started in 714 of them. He averaged 15.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.3 blocks in 30.2 minutes per game in LA. He was also a three-time NBA Champion as a teammate of Magic Johnson. He’d make a good third-string on this list.

4. A.C. Green

A.C. Green was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 23 overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft. He won two NBA titles with Magic Johnson and Byron Scott, and a third title with Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. He currently holds the all-time record for most consecutive games played at 1,192 games. 

Green spent nine seasons total (two stints) with the Lakers, playing in 735 games and starting in 512 games with the franchise. He averaged 10.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game. His stats aren’t jaw-dropping, but he was as reliable as they come – the most reliable ever.

3. Vern Mikkelsen

Vern Mikkelsen was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers with the No. 11 overall pick in the 1949 BAA Draft – his rookie year was the Lakers’ first season in the NBA. He spent his entire 10-year career with the team, playing in 699 games during that time. He helped lead the Lakers to four NBA Championships. 

Mikkelsen averaged 14.4 points, 9.4 rebounds (not including first season), and 2.2 assists in 32.5 minutes (not including first two seasons) per game. In addition to his four rings, he was a six-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA power forward. He was a force to be reckoned with alongside George Mikan

2. Pau Gasol

Pau Gasol was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft, but was immediately traded to the Memphis Grizzlies – where he spent the next seven seasons. In 2008, Gasol was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he teamed up with Kobe Bryant to win two NBA titles. 

All in all, Gasol played in 429 games with the Lakers, 422 of which were as a starter. He averaged 17.7 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.4 blocks in 35.7 minutes per game in LA. He was a six-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA center, and was named Rookie of the Year for the 2001-02 season. 

1. Derek Fisher

Derek Fisher was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 24 overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was a member of the Lakers’ three-peat between 2000 and 2002 (with Kobe and Shaq) and the Lakers’ back-to-back title wins in 2009 and 2010 (with Kobe and Gasol). He was the team’s leader. 

His stats aren’t eye-popping, only averaging 7.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.1 steals in 25.4 minutes per game – he played in 915 games and started in 593 games with the Lakers over 13 seasons. He also played stints with the Warriors, Thunder, Jazz, and Mavericks before retiring at 39 years old.

Who’s On Your Los Angeles Lakers’ All-Time Roster?

We’ve determined our starting five and put together a reliable bench, but our Los Angeles Lakers’ all-time roster wouldn’t be complete without a head coach and assistant head coach. Don’t worry, there are two head coaches that stand out above the rest – Phil Jackson (1999-2011) and Pat Riley (1982-1990). 

Riley and Jackson have led the Lakers to 14 NBA Finals appearances and nine NBA Championships during their tenures with the team. The only other Lakers’ head coach with a resume that good was John Kundla – their first ever head coach – who led the team to four NBA titles, a BAA title, and an NBL title.

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Now we want to know – who do you have coaching your Los Angeles Lakers’ all-time roster? Better yet, what does your all-time starting five look like and how is your bench shaping out? With so many Lakers’ legends to choose from, you really can’t go wrong – though there are a few players that stand out. 

Pau Gasol Has No. 16 Jersey Retired by Los Angeles Lakers — Which Other Lakers’ Legends Had Their Jersey Retired?

Pau Gasol had his Los Angeles Lakers’ career cemented among some of the franchise’s greatest players of all-time when they retired his No. 16 jersey – which he wore for 7 seasons between 2008 and 2014. He averaged 17.7 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.4 blocks in 429 games played in a Lakers’ jersey.

His ceremony took place during halftime of the Lakers’ March 7 matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies – another team he spent 7 seasons with. While he never won a championship with the Grizzlies, he did win two of them with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010. He had a strong message for the fans that supported him: 

“I’m just overwhelmed to see the faces here, all of you. It’s been my honor to wear this jersey, to play for this franchise and to help this team. I would have never in a million years believed a day like this could come. It just tells you to never say never. Just push yourself every day to be the best that you can be.”

RELATED: Putting Together a Championship-Worthy Los Angeles Lakers’ All-Time Roster

Gasol is the 12th Los Angeles Lakers’ Legend to Have His Jersey Retired

Pau Gasol Has No. 16 Jersey Retired by Los Angeles Lakers -- Which Other Lakers' Legends Had Their Jersey Retired?
via Instagram (@paugasol)

Not many Los Angeles Lakers’ legends can say they had their jersey lifted to the rafters, with Pau Gasol being just the 12th player in Lakers’ history to have his jersey retired – there are 13 total numbers retired since Kobe Bryant had both his No. 8 and No. 24 retired. Now, Gasol’s jersey hangs right next to Kobe’s.

And that’s fitting, considering Kobe and Pau thought of each other as brothers. “It means so much, and obviously with Kobe up there, it just adds something meaningful and powerful and sad and happy and painful and joyful. It’s a lot of things,” Gasol said during his speech – with Kobe’s wife in attendance. 

Kobe and Pau had quite a 7-year span together and it’s no surprise to see them in the rafters now that their careers are over – it’s a shame Kobe wasn’t there physically to witness the moment, but he was there in spirit. And they’ll now be remembered every single time the Los Angeles Lakers’ take home court. 

To commemorate the special moment, let’s take a look back at the 12 Los Angeles Lakers’ legends to have their jersey retired through the years – starting with the man of the hour, Pau Gasol. 

12. Pau Gasol – No. 16

Pau Gasol was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft, but had his rights traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. On February 1, 2008, Gasol – who was in his 7th season with the Grizzlies at the time – was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he teamed up with Kobe Bryant

Gasol made an immediate impact for the Lakers, ultimately playing in 27 games for the team the rest of that 2007-08 season. He helped make the Lakers a championship team again, ultimately winning the 2009 and 2010 titles alongside Kobe – who admitted the team wouldn’t have won without Gasol. 

Gasol spent 6.5 seasons with the Lakers. During that time, he averaged 17.7 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.4 blocks in 35.7 minutes per game (429 games). After being made a free agent, Gasol spent two seasons with the Bulls before spending his final three years with the Spurs and Bucks. 

11. Kobe Bryant – No. 8 & No. 24

Kobe Bryant was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 13 overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, but had his rights traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal that sent Vlade Divac to the Hornets. Bryant became the first guard to be drafted out of high school, having played four years at Lower Merion HS. 

Bryant went on to spend his entire 20-year career with the Lakers between 1996 and 2016. He played in 1,346 games for the franchise and averaged 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 36.1 minutes per game – he shot 45% from the field and 33% from long range in his career. 

He was an 18-time All-Star, 4-time All-Star MVP, 15-time All-NBA guard, 12-time All-Defensive player, 5-time NBA Champion, 2-time Finals MVP, one-time MVP, 2-time scoring champ, a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020. He also won an Oscar in 2018.

10. Wilt Chamberlain – No. 13

Wilt Chamberlain was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors with the No. 3 overall pick in the 1959 NBA Draft. He spent 9 years with the Warriors and 76ers before joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 1968 via a trade. He was the first reigning MVP to be traded and was joining an already-stacked Lakers’ squad. 

Chamberlain went on to spend the final five years of his career with the Lakers. During that time, he averaged 17.7 points, 19.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 43.7 minutes per game (339 games). His numbers weren’t as impressive as his time with the 76ers or Warriors, but he was still an effective player. 

Chamberlain was a four-time All-Star and four-time rebounding champion with the Lakers and helped them win the 1972 NBA Championship. He ended up playing in 80 playoff games during his time with the franchise and averaged 15.8 points, 22.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 46.8 minutes per playoff game. 

9. Elgin Baylor – No. 22

Elgin Baylor was originally drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 14th round of the 1956 NBA Draft, but he decided to continue playing college ball. After two seasons with Seattle University, he re-entered the draft and was, again, selected  by the Minneapolis Lakers – this time with the No. 1 overall pick. 

Baylor would go on to spend his entire 14-year career with the Lakers between 1958 and 1972. He averaged 27.4 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 4.3 rebounds in 40.0 minutes per game (846 games). He also averaged 27.0 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 41.1 minutes per playoff game (134 games).

Baylor was the 1958-59 Rookie of the Year and was an 11-time All-Star, one-time All-Star MVP, 10-time All-NBA forward, and a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. He averaged at least 34.0 points per game in three consecutive seasons between 1960-1963 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.

8. Gail Goodrich – No. 25

Gail Goodrich was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 10 overall pick in 1965 and the first three seasons of his career with the team. During that time, he averaged 11.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 221 games played. He was then drafted by the Phoenix Suns in the 1968 expansion draft.  

After thriving with the Suns for two seasons, they decided to trade him back to the Lakers – where he spent the next six seasons. During that time, he averaged 22.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 36.3 minutes per game (466 games). He was also named an All-Star in four of those six seasons. 

All in all, Goodrich spent nine seasons with the Lakers and averaged 19.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 31.7 minutes per game (687 games). He helped the team win a championship in 1972, was an All-NBA guard in 1973-74, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996. 

7. Magic Johnson – No. 32

Magic Johnson was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. While the Lakers had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at the time – who had already won two MVPs with the team – they hadn’t won a championship since joining the Lakers. Drafting Magic Johnson was supposed to help. 

And it did. Magic and Kareem won their first championship together in Magic’s rookie season and went on to win four more between 1982 and 1988. Magic spent his entire 13-season career with the Lakers, but had his career end short after contracting HIV. If it weren’t for that diagnosis, he would’ve won more titles.

All in all, Magic Johnson averaged 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 11.2 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks in 906 games played with the Lakers. He was a 12-time All-Star, 2-time All-Star MVP, 5-time champion, 3-time Finals MVP, 3-time MVP, 10-time All-NBA guard, and a Hall of Fame inductee since 2002.

6. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – No. 33

Speaking of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, he also had his jersey retired by the Lakers. The team acquired him in 1975 via a trade that sent Elmore Smith, Brian Winters, Dave Meyers, Junior Bridgeman, and cash to the Milwaukee Bucks – the Lakers also received Walter Wesley. It was a trade that paid off well for LA.

After spending the first six seasons of his career with the Bucks, Abdul-Jabbar spent the last 14 years of his career with the Lakers. In that time, he averaged 22.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 2.6 blocks in 1,093 games played. He averaged at least 21.0 points per game in 11 straight seasons. 

He was a three-time MVP with the Lakers, a two-time blocks leader, a 13-time All-Star, a 5-time NBA champion, a one-time Finals MVP, 7-time All-Defensive center, and 10-time All-NBA center. He was also a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995. 

5. Shaquille O’Neal – No. 34

Shaquille O’Neal was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. He spent the first four years of his career with the Magic, but decided to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent in 1996 – the same year he won his first Olympic gold medal with the United States. 

O’Neal teamed up with Kobe Bryant and spent the next eight seasons with the Lakers. During that time, he averaged 27.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.6 steals, and 2.5 blocks in 37.6 minutes per game (514 games played). He led the league in scoring during the 1999-00 season with 29.7 points per game. 

With Kobe by his side, O’Neal won three NBA titles in a row between 2000 and 2002. He was a 7-time All-Star, 2-time All-Star MVP, 1999-00 MVP, 3-time Finals MVP, 8-time All-NBA center, and 3-time All-Defensive center during his time with the Lakers. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016. 

4. James Worthy – No. 42

James Worthy was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 1 overall pick in 1982. It was the first time – and only time – in NBA history that the defending champion received the first overall pick. It was originally the Cavaliers’ pick, but they traded it to the Lakers in exchange for Don Ford three years prior.

Worthy ended up spending his entire 12-year career with the Lakers. During that time, he averaged 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 32.4 minutes per game (926 games). He helped the Lakers win three championships in a four-year span, playing alongside Magic and Kareem

All in all, Worthy was a 7-time All-Star, 2-time All-NBA forward, 3-time champion, and 1988 Finals MVP. He averaged at least 20 points per game four times – including three straight between 1988 and 1991. He was a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.

3. Jerry West – No. 44

Jerry West was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1960 NBA Draft. He was the first player drafted by the team since their move from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. He was also joining a team that already had Elgin Baylor and had just hired West’s college coach to be head coach. 

West spent his entire 14-year career with the franchise between 1960 and 1974. During that time, he averaged 27.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.7 assists in 39.2 minutes per game (932 games). He led the NBA in scoring with 31.2 per game in 1969-70 and led the NBA in assists with 9.7 per game in 1971-72. 

He was a 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA guard, 5-time All-Defensive guard, 1972 NBA Champion, 1972 All-Star MVP, and 1969 Finals MVP (despite being on the losing team). He’s a member of the 75th Anniversary Team, is the player behind the NBA logo, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.

2. Jamaal Wilkes – No. 52

Jamaal Wilkes was drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the No. 11 overall pick in the 1974 NBA Draft. He spent the next three seasons with the Warriors before signing with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1977 as a free agent – joining a team that already had Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Wilkes spent the next eight seasons with the Lakers between 1977 and 1985. During that time, he averaged 18.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.3 blocks in 33.5 minutes per game (575 games played). He averaged at least 20 points in three consecutive seasons between 1979 and 1982. 

He was a 2-time All-Star and 3-time NBA Champion with the Lakers – winning a ring in 1980, 1982, and 1985 – though he didn’t play in the 1985 playoffs. He’s one of the more underrated Los Angeles Lakers’ legends on this list because he was constantly being overshadowed by Magic, Kareem, and even Worthy. 

1. George Mikan – No. 99

George Mikan was originally a member of the Chicago American Gears of the NBL in 1946-47, but the team was dismantled ahead of the 1947-48 season. The players were eventually split up evenly among the 11 other NBL teams, which saw Mikan join the Minneapolis Lakers for the 1947-48 season. 

Mikan spent a year with the Lakers in the NBL, a year with the Lakers in the BAA, and six years with the Lakers in the NBA. He won an NBL title and won the World Professional Basketball Tournament with the team in 1948, also winning MVP of the NBL and MVP of the WPBT – making an immediate impact.

He then led the BAA in scoring the following season and led the Lakers to a BAA title before the team joined the NBA. He won four more titles with the Lakers once in the NBA and won an All-Star Game MVP in 1952-53. He averaged 22.3 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 379 career games in the NBA.

Los Angeles Lakers’ Legends Who Don’t Have Their Jersey Retired

The Los Angeles Lakers have one of the richest histories as one of the most storied franchises in NBA history. The 12 players listed above make up a large part of that rich history and have earned the right to have their jersey lifted to the rafters – the Lakers’ franchise wouldn’t be what it is today without them. 

With that said, there are a lot of other Los Angeles Lakers’ players who are worthy of mentioning – though they might not be worthy of a jersey retirement. Some of those legendary names include Derek Fisher, A.C. Green, Vern Mikkelsen, Byon Scott, Robert Horry, Norm Nixon, Rick Fox, and Michael Cooper

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You could also place LeBron James alongside those names, now that he’s been with the franchise for five years and has led them to one championship in 2020. He also, most recently, passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the new all-time points leader in NBA history – doing so in a Lakers’ jersey.

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