The Los Angeles Lakers have had countless legends suit up in the purple and gold, so much so that we can subject ourselves to these all-time team builders with different criteria every time, get a completely different team every time which is almost always elite.
Today, we wanted to create an all-time starting five full of players that were born where the Lakers call home: the Sunshine State. The only qualification to be included in this team is that the player had to be born in California, it did not matter what happened thereafter.
The Los Angeles Lakers all-time California team:
PG: Gail Goodrich
Starting at point guard for the California Los Angeles Lakers is one of the best backcourt players in franchise history, Gail Goodrich. Goodrich was an implemental part of the Lakers winning the only championship during the Jerry West era but can be forgotten about because of the likes of West, Wilt Chamberlain and even Elgin Baylor.
While Goodrich primarily played the two-guard with the Lakers as West was the point guard, he did spend two seasons in Phoenix as the team’s starting point guard and that is where he will play on this team. His assists numbers were never great, but he was one of the best scorers in the league for his time.
Goodrich finished his career averaging 19 points, 4.2 assists and three rebounds per game with the Lakers. His best years came from 1971 to 1955, where Goodrich averaged a combined 24.5 points, 4.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game and made the all-star team all four seasons.
Goodrich was born in Los Angeles.