9. Gail Goodrich
It would be borderline blasphemy to not include Gail “Stumpy” Goodrich in the top ten Lakers of all time.
Despite being overshadowed by the big guns — Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West — it was actually Goodrich, the smooth shooting combo guard out of UCLA, who led the team in scoring during their 33-game win streak in the 1971-1972 season.
Narrowly edging out Mr. Clutch himself, Jerry West, Goodrich averaged 25.9 points to West’s 25.8. Looking at the 1971-72 Lakers’ squad, this team was truly a force to be reckoned with, having six players, all of whom are some of the most recognizable names in NBA history, averaging double-digit scoring.
You don’t get your number retired by the Lakers and put up in the rafters for nothing, so the fact that Goodrich’s number 25 proudly hangs in STAPLES Center next to legends like Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar attests to his amazing legacy.
Goodrich was not only a volume scorer, but an accurate one as well, shooting over 44 percent in all of his seasons with the Purple and Gold except one, his rookie year, despite often attempting between 15 and 20 shots a game.
Similar to Wilt Chamberlain, Goodrich did not spend his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers but was still dynamic enough to get top ten honors.
Next: No. 8 Wilt