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Los Angeles Lakers: 10 best power forwards in team history

By Ed Schrenzel

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 9: Pau Gasol #16 of the Los Angeles Lakers stands in observance of the national anthem before a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at STAPLES Center on March 9, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2014 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 9: Pau Gasol #16 of the Los Angeles Lakers stands in observance of the national anthem before a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at STAPLES Center on March 9, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2014 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers: 10 best power forwards in team history
Photo by Mike Powell/Getty Images /

No. 8: Mychal Thompson

Mychal also played both center and forward for the Lakers and was ranked 10th at the 5 position.
He essentially succeeded McAdoo as the big man off the bench, but his contributions were much different. Like Mac, Thompson had also been a high draft pick (No. 1 in 1978). He wasn’t quite the prodigious scorer that Bob had been, usually scoring 15-20 points per game.

But the most important role he played for the Lakers was in the 1987 Finals against the Celtics. The main part of the reason that Thompson was acquired was to defend Boston’s Kevin McHale, who had previously wreaked havoc against the purple and gold.

The two had been college teammates at the University of Minnesota, and Mychal knew how to guard him better than anyone in the league. His defense helped the Lakers win the title that year and again the next year against Detroit.

Thompson also contributed on the offensive end, where he averaged 8.9 points and 5.4 rebounds. He typically played half the game, and although he didn’t start, he was usually the finishing power forward.

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