Los Angeles Lakers: 50 Greatest Players in Lakers History (Updated 2023)
By Ed Schrenzel
Greatest Lakers of all time: 17- Lamar Odom
- 7 seasons, 519 games, 2 titles
- 13.7 PPG
- 9.5 RPG
- 3.7 APG
Lamar was a versatile all-around player who rebounded like a power forward but handled the ball and passed like a point guard. He was invaluable for the Lakers last 2 title teams in 2009 & ’10, and ranks 9th in RPG, 14th in APG, 27th in PPG and 19th in total points.
He was one of the most multi-talented players ever to wear a Lakers uniform.
When he was first drafted, Lamar was widely thought to be a transformative player, and drew comparisons to Magic Johnson for both his size (6-10, 220) and ball-handling ability. Although he never quite lived up to that lofty standard, he was still an integral part of the Lakers success
In the Lakers triangle offense, he was as much of a playmaker as anyone else, and several times led the club in assists. Odom was an excellent companion to Bryant on the wing, giving Kobe the freedom to operate from his favorite spots on the floor. Defensively he almost always guarded the opposing 4.
Lamar was the centerpiece of players the Lakers received when they traded Shaq to Miami. “The Candy Man” was a model of consistency, averaging between 14 and 16 points per game in 5 of his 7 Lakers seasons and between 8.2 and 10.6 rebounds in all 7.
After being a starter for his first 9 years in the NBA, Lamar was persuaded by Coach Phil Jackson to accept a sixth-man role for the 2008-09 season. He performed exceptionally well off the bench, helping the team win back-to-back titles, and ultimately being named Sixth Man of the Year a couple of seasons later.