Editor’s Note: Updated in February 2023
The Lakers have had the most outstanding parade of stars in NBA history. No team has had more superstars than the Lakers over the past 70+ years.
The top 13 Lakers are all in or will be voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. The entire top 10 includes players in the upper echelon of the Hall, and eight of those 10 achieved their greatest success with the Lakers.
Are any current Lakers ranked in the 50 best? Which players made the list from the many different eras: Minneapolis, the early LA years, the mid-1970’s, the Showtime era, the 1990s, the Kobe years and the more recent times?
This is the criteria used:
- Only a player’s achievement with the Lakers counts. It doesn’t matter what he did before or after he played for them.
- He must have played a minimum of 150 games with the Lakers. (Exception: two current Lakers who are projected to easily reach the 150-game minimum). So “one-hit wonders” and short-time success stories are ineligible, including players such as Karl Malone, Glen Rice, Adrian Dantley and Cedric Ceballos.
- The rankings recognize factors such as longevity with the team, statistical excellence, peak performance and contributions to team success.
- No favoritism was given to more recent Laker players over those from the more distant past.
On with the countdown. All statistics shown are strictly for Lakers regular season unless otherwise noted.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 50- Tommy Hawkins
- 6 seasons, 454 games
- 9.0 points per game
- 5.7 rebounds per game
The Hawk played the first three and last three of his 10-season NBA career with the Lakers. At 6-5, 210 pounds, he could play both forward positions.
Tommy was used primarily in a reserve role but filled in capably as a starter, especially when his good friend Elgin Baylor was injured. He was best known for his athleticism and jumping ability.
Hawk was a reliable, consistent scorer whose points per game ranged from 7.9 to 11.6, typically playing about half the game. He also had a reputation for being an excellent defensive player.
He remained in LA long after his playing career ended, working in broadcasting and then for the Dodgers. Tommy, a die-hard Laker fan, was famously filmed cheering the team on to victory over the Celtics in the title-clinching 1985 game as watched it at home on his TV while draped in his old Lakers jersey.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 49- Elden Campbell
- 9 seasons, 618 games
- 10.4 points per game
- 5.8 rebounds per game
He was a first-round draft pick for the Lakers in 1990 who had a solid, unspectacular career for the team. Between 1991 and 1999 the 6-11, 215 Campbell was a usual starter, mostly at power forward but sometimes at center.
Elden had a consistent 6-year run when he averaged between 10.1 and 14.9 points and 5.6 and 8.1 rebounds per game. Those teams were good but not quite good enough to win any titles. His Lakers career ended up bridging the gap between the Showtime Era and the Shaq-Kobe-Phil Jackson three-peat years.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 48- Archie Clark
- 2 seasons, 157 games
- 15.4 points per game
- 3.6 assists per game
Archie spent his first two NBA seasons with the Lakers in the mid-60s after being drafted in the fourth round. He left the team when he was included in the package of players traded for Wilt Chamberlain.
He was especially effective in his second year when, often alongside Jerry West in the backcourt, Clark averaged just under 20 points and 4.4 assists and was selected for the All-Star team.
Archie was known for his “shake and bake” moves driving to the hoop. He primarily played point guard but was just as effective off the ball.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 47- Elmore Smith
- 2 seasons, 155 games
- 11.7 PPG,
- 11.1 RPG
- 3.9 blocks
“Elmore the Rejector” was a blocked shot specialist who started his career with two excellent seasons with the old Buffalo Braves (the current Clippers). In the 1973-74 season he averaged an amazing 4.9 blocks a game for the Lakers, and was also an excellent rebounder who ranks fifth on the all-time team list.
Smith spanned the gap for the Lakers between two of the greatest big men of all time. They traded for him to replace Wilt Chamberlain at center after Wilt retired following the 1972-73 season and two years later included him in the package of players they swapped for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Elmore went on to have a pretty good but not great NBA career that was shortened by a knee injury.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 46- Jordan Clarkson
- 4 seasons, 273 games
- 14.3 points
- 2.9 assists per game
Although some readers may be surprised to see Clarkson’s name here, he achieved far more than what would be expected from the 46th pick in the draft.
JC ranks 25th all-time in average points per game for all Lakers (minimum 3 seasons), 11th among guards (despite averaging only 28 minutes a game) and 35th among all Lakers in total points.
The second-rounder emerged during his rookie season in 2014-15 as an excellent combo guard. He started most games the second half of that first season and for all 79 games his second year. Jordan then accepted a reserve role his next two seasons and garnered attention as one of the league’s best sixth-man.
In his nearly 4 years with the Lakers, Clarkson compiled remarkably consistent statistics in almost all categories. His overall scoring average only ranged from 11.9 to 15.5 a year. His assists, rebounds (3.3), shooting percentage (44%) and 3-point accuracy (33%) also strayed very little from year-to-year. He was a solid, steady backcourt contributor.
Clarkson is currently having an excellent season with Utah where he is a leading candidate for Sixth Man of the Year.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 45- Brandon Ingram
- 3 seasons, 190 games
- 13.9 PPG
- 4.7 RPG
Fans grew impatient with BI because they expected that the #2 pick of 2016 would dominate play immediately. But the willowy 6-8, 190-pound Ingram needed time at age 19 to allow his multiple skills to develop.
He increased his scoring average from 9 to 16 and then to 18 points in his three Lakers seasons. His field goal percentage also rose each year, and his passing became more precise. He was starting to prove the Lakers had chosen well.
It was no secret around the league that Ingram was a star in the making. When the Lakers traded for Anthony Davis, New Orleans insisted that Brandon had to be included in the package of players it would receive. He was named to the All-Star team in his first year with the Pelicans and deserved strong consideration for a place on the team again this year.
But since the Lakers received back a superstar in AD, and won a title in his first year with the team, it worked out well for both teams.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 44- Julius Randle
- 4 seasons, 238 games
- 13.5 points
- 8.9 rebounds
This might be another possible surprise for some readers, but Randle ranks 28th all-time in Lakers PPG, 13th in rebounds and 43rd in career points. Among Laker power forwards, he ranks 7th in PPG and 6th in RPG.
After missing his entire rookie season with a broken leg, he improved his scoring average each year. He was particularly effective in his final season with LA while also leading in RPG and shooting 55.8% from the field.
Even though he posted those excellent numbers, the Lakers let their #7 pick from 2014 walk away for nothing in free agency. He signed with New Orleans where he experienced greater success before moving to the Knicks, where he was just named to the All-Star team for the first time.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 43- Frank Selvy
- 6 seasons, 364 games, 2 NBA Finals
- 10.3 PPG
- 3.6 APG
“Pops” was a sweet shooter who had a notable college career while at Furman College. Not only was he the nation’s leading scorer and an All-American his senior year, but in his final college game he scored 100 points.
Selvy’s pro career was not nearly as successful, although he was a starter on several very good Laker squads. He had two stints with the team, including his final 5 NBA seasons, mostly playing alongside the great Jerry West in the Lakers backcourt.
He ranks 27th among Lakers in career points and 21st in APG and was an all-star in 1962. But unfortunately he’s best remembered for what happened later that season in the final seconds of Game 7 of the Finals.
Selvy had scored 4 straight late points to tie that game. But he missed a wide-open jumper at the regulation time buzzer that would have won the title for LA. Instead the Lakers lost in overtime.
Despite that miss, he deserves to be recognized for his other contributions to Lakers success.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 42- Cazzie Russell
- 3 seasons, 196 games
- 14.5 PPG
“Jazzy Cazzie” was one of the game’s best all-time streak shooters, somewhat similar to Lou Williams today. When he got hot, it seemed like he couldn’t miss, no matter where he shot from.
He was originally the top pick of the 1966 pick by the Knicks. Although he didn’t have the type of career you’d expect from the #1 pick, he still was a major weapon for New York and was a valued member of their 1970 title team.
Russell then starred for 3 years with Golden State before being traded to the Lakers, where he played another 3 seasons, all in the mid-1970s. Unfortunately that was the era that the team started to fall on leaner times, and Russell was nearing the end of his 12-year NBA career.
But Cazzie brought his jump shot with him to L.A., and was a big contributor, both as a starter and reserve. For a player who mostly shot from the outside, he impressively made over 47% of his field goal attempts, the highest of his career.
He ended up as the Lakers 23rd leading per game scorer and 50th in total points.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 41- Dick Barnett
- 3 seasons, 232 games
- 16.8 PPG
Dick essentially replaced Frank Selvy in the LA backcourt and paired with Jerry West for three solid seasons, ranking 14th in Lakers PPG. He particularly thrived in his first two seasons, when he averaged over 18 PPG.
The lefty was a bit of a character. He was known for his unorthodox but highly accurate jump shot when he would kick back his heels prior to releasing the ball.
He was also one of the league’s first trash talkers, often shouting “Fall back baby” as he shot his jumper. In essence he was telling his teammates to drop back on defense and rubbing it in to the opposition with the message “Hey, we all know I’m gonna nail that shot, so there’s no need to crash the boards”.
He was traded to the Knicks for forward Bob Boozer, who had one pretty good season with the Lakers before they lost him in the expansion draft to Chicago. Barnett, meanwhile, averaged a career-best 23 PPG in the first of his 8 seasons in New York, and later was a key starter in their backcourt alongside Walt Frazier on their 1970 title team.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 40- Sedale Threatt
- 5 seasons, 386 games
- 11.9 PPG
- 5.2 assists
- 1.4 steals
The Lakers traded three second-round draft picks, none of whom amounted to much, for Sedale in 1991 to back up star Magic Johnson at point guard as the Showtime Era wound down.
But fate intervened before the season began when Magic tested positive for the HIV virus and was forced to prematurely retire. So Threatt, a reserve for most of his previous 8 NBA years, was suddenly Magic’s replacement as the starting PG.
Sedale handled the promotion surprisingly well, putting together two back-to-back career years averaging 15 points, 7 assists and nearly 2 steals (earning him the nickname “The Thief”) per game for Lakers teams that featured James Worthy, Byron Scott, Sam Perkins, AC Green and Vlade Divac. Those squads were able to make the playoffs each year but were never good enough to make it out of the first round.
Sedale started to slow down the following season at age 32 and lost his starting job to rookie Nick Van Exel. He continued to play reasonably well for the team for a total of 5 years, compiling Lakers averages of ranks 5th in assists, 10th in steals, 34th in PPG and 30th in career points.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 39- Lucius Allen
- 3 seasons, 210 games
- 16.0 PPG
- 5.1 APG
- 1.6 steals
Lucius was lightning quick, earning the nickname “The Jackrabbit”. He also had a smooth jump shot and was regarded as a good floor leader and excellent teammate.
As a UCLA Bruin he teamed with the legendary Lew Alcindor to guide the team to two NCAA titles and an overall magnificent 59-1 won-lost record. In his 6th NBA season, he returned to LA in 1974 to play for the Lakers, and was joined there a year later by Alcindor, who by then of course had changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Although they had won a title in Milwaukee, the duo didn’t experience nearly the same level of success together in LA as pros as they had as collegians. The team missed the playoffs entirely in Allen’s first two seasons, and although they compiled the best record in the Western Conference his third year, they lost to the streaking Portland Trailblazers in the conference finals.
His relatively short Lakers career was solid. He scored a career high 19.5 PPG in his first season. Overall he ranks 6th among Lakers in assists per game, 4th in steals, 16th in PPG and 41st in total points.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 38- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
- 4 seasons, 258+ games, 1 title
- 11.1 PPG
- 37.3% three-point percentage
KCP has spent the last four seasons with the Lakers after playing his first four years for the Detroit Pistons. More than anything else, he is relied on for his three-point shooting and perimeter defense.
He is somewhat of a streaky shooter who will be hot for several straight games, then cool off considerably for others. Overall his long-distance percentage with the Lakers is an above-average 37.4%.
In the Lakers championship run of 2020, KCP replaced Avery Bradley, who had opted out, in the postseason starting lineup and was the team’s third-leading scorer, one of its best outside and free-throw shooters and an integral part of their outstanding defense.
KCP signed a three-year contract with the Lakers that runs through the 2022-23 season.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 37- Sam Perkins
- 3 seasons, 185 games
- 14.6 PPG
- 8.0 RPG
Sleepy Sam was rarely flashy but almost always a solid, consistent contributor to the Lakers initial post-Showtime years of the early 1990’s. He signed with the team as a free agent and filled the role of power forward and some back-up center.
In most games he could be counted on to score between 12 and 18 points and grab 6-9 rebounds. He started on the Lakers team that lost in the 1991 Finals to Chicago, which was led by Perkins’ former college teammate Michael Jordan. For that postseason, his only one with the Lakers, Sam averaged 17.7 points and 8.3 rebounds.
Just before the 1993 deadline, he was traded to Seattle for Benoit Benjamin and Doug Christie, neither of whom did as well for the Lakers as Perkins had.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 36- Kyle Kuzma
- 4 seasons, 276 games, 1 title
- 15.2 PPG
- 5.6 RPG
Kuz went from being an essentially unknown #27 pick of the 2017 draft to becoming the MVP of the Summer League to a fan favorite and a prominent role in the Lakers “young core”, all in a matter of months.
The next season, he started at forward alongside newly-signed star LeBron James and averaged 18.7 points. But when the Lakers traded for a second star, Anthony Davis in 2020, Kuzma experienced difficulties adjusting to a new, reserve role.
He was the only homegrown young player left on the roster and much was expected of him. When he struggled, many fans called for him to be traded. Yet he persevered and re-invented his role in many ways.
Unfortunately, Kuzma’s tenure with the Lakers ended too soon as the team included him in the Russell Westbrook trade.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 35- Rick Fox
- 7 seasons, 486 games, 3 titles
- 8.7 PPG
- 2.9 APG
Foxy’s contributions to the Lakers far exceeded his fairly modest statistics. Although he was known for his good looks, he was also somewhat paradoxically a scrappy, hard-nosed defender who did whatever dirty work the team needed.
He was consistent and durable, playing in all 82 games 4 times in 7 seasons, and in 77 games another year. Fox was also one of the team’s best 3-point shooters.
Somewhat surprisingly, he averaged double figures in points only once. That occurred during his initial year with the club when he started all 82 games and also established his Laker highs in minutes played, shooting percentage and steals. He ranks 31st in career points.
Although he never again matched those stats, he was still a major contributor to the Lakers “three-peat” title run from 2000-02. The first year he backed up Glen Rice, then he started at small forward the next two championship seasons.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 34- Clyde Lovellette
- 4 seasons, 282 games, 1 title
- 17.2 PPG
- 11.2 RPG
Many readers are likely unfamiliar with “Jellybelly”, who backed up the great George Mikan during the Minneapolis Lakers’ final championship season of 1953-54. Mikan then retired, and Lovellette replaced him as the team’s starting center for most of the next three seasons.
Clyde was known for his tough guy image who used his strong 6-9, 230 pound body to mix it up with everyone underneath the basket. But he also had an effective set shot.
Later in his career Lovellette went on to even greater heights as a member of the then-St Louis Hawks, where he teamed with superstar Bob Pettit in the early 60’s before finishing his career as a back-up to Bill Russell in Boston.
He would have ranked higher on this list had he played for a longer time with the Lakers, for whom he made 2 all-star teams. He is 6th in RPG, 13th in PPG and 26th in total points
Greatest Lakers of all time: 33- Vlade Divac
- 8 seasons, 535 games
- 12.2 PPG
- 8.5 RPG
- 1.6 blocks
Vlade was the best Lakers center who never played for a title team. When he was drafted in 1989, just after Abdul Jabbar retired, few fans had ever heard of the then 21-year-old 7-foot-1 Serbian.
Divac moved into the starting lineup during his second year and remained there for a total of 6 seasons. Despite his size, he relied more on finesse and agility than on raw power. He was a good but not great scorer and rebounder but was one of the game’s best passing big men.
Vlade was probably best known for mastering the art of the defensive flop. Time after time he’d drop to the floor after the slightest touch in the hope of earning a charge call against the opponent.
Divac was steady and consistent but not spectacular, which was indicative of the good-but-not-great Lakers as a team during that post-Showtime era. He ranks 15th in games played, 20th in career points, 32nd in PPG, 14th in RPG, and made 1 all-star team.
He went on to become an important member of the Sacramento Kings in the late 1990s and early 2000’s. But before that, he made one more significant contribution to the Lakers. On draft day 1996, he was traded to Charlotte for their first-round pick, a guy who was moving straight from high school to the NBA by the name of Kobe Bryant.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 32- Andrew Bynum
- 7 seasons, 392 games, 2 titles
- 11.7 PPG
- 7.8 RPG
- 1.6 blocks
At his peak, which unfortunately lasted only a short time due to injury, Bynum was arguably the #1 or 2 center in the NBA.
Jim Buss took credit for drafting him directly out of high school. At first, Bynum appeared completely over-matched in the NBA. In his rookie season, he barely got off the bench, playing just 7 minutes per game.
He showed some improvement in his second year, averaging 7.8 points per game. But very few would have predicted the giant leap he’d take next- certainly not Kobe, who was caught in an off-court rant criticizing Lakers management for not trading Bynum for Jason Kidd when they seemingly had the chance.
In that third season Andrew blossomed, becoming a nearly unstoppable presence in the low post, averaging 13 points and 10 rebounds in just 29 minutes a game. He combined with Bryant and Lamar Odom to lead the surprising Lakers back into contention… until he suffered a devastating knee injury that caused him to miss most of the rest of the season.
He returned to contribute to both of the Lakers’ back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010. Discounting his lost rookie year, he averaged 13.1 points and 8.7 rebounds, and in his peak 5 seasons the numbers rose to 14.2 and 9.2
Overall Bynum ranks 16th in RPG, 35th in PPG and 29th in total points and made 1 all-star team.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 31- AC Green
- 9 seasons, 735 games, 3 titles
- 10.6 PPG
- 7.7 RPG
Consistency and durability are the reasons for AC’s ranking. He earned the nickname “Iron Man” by playing in an NBA-record 1,192 consecutive games, over 60% of them with the Lakers. After missing 3 games in his second season, he never sat out another until he retired.
Green ranks 18th in RPG, 15th in total points, 36th in PPG and 10th in games played. A year after being drafted 23rd in the 1985 draft, he replaced Kurt Rambis in the starting lineup at power forward at least in part because he provided more of an offensive threat.
AC was a solid, unspectacular type of player who was pretty good at everything without excelling at any one thing and was a cog during the last few Showtime years. At only 220 pounds, he was often out-weighed by his opponent but he mostly managed to hold his own and was a reasonably good defensive player.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 30- Nick Van Exel
- 5 seasons, 378 games
- 14.9 PPG
- 7.3 APG
The Lakers have recently had great success with late first and early second round draft picks. That was also true back in 1993, when the Lakers selected “Nick the Quick” with the 37th pick of the draft.
Van Exel immediately impressed his coaches in Summer League with his speed and quickness off the dribble as well as his streaky outside shooting. He moved right into the starting lineup as a rookie and played well enough to make the All-Rookie second team.
Nick joined a franchise that was attempting to rebuild on the fly after the Showtime era. His teammates included Divac and Elden Campbell the first season, and Eddie Jones and Cedric Ceballos the following year. The Lakers missed the playoffs his rookie season (even though Magic Johnson coached the team for its final 16 frustrating games) but qualified in each of Van Exel’s final four years with the team.
However, the Lakers of that time were mired in the “pretty good but not great” category. They advanced as far as the Western Conference finals just once in Van Exel’s tenure, and compiled only a 17-19 playoff record despite the comeback of Magic as a player in the 1995-96 season, and the first two Laker years of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant the following two seasons.
By the time Phil Jackson was hired as coach, and the talents of Shaq and Kobe were maximized to win 3 straight titles in 2000-02, Van Exel had been traded to Denver. He ranks 3rd in assists, 21st in PPG and 25th in career points.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 29- Jim McMillian
- 3 seasons, 242 games, 1 title
- 15.3 PPG
- 5.4 RPG
Jimmy Mac is one of those “forgotten” Laker players who for one reason or another have not been well-remembered through the years.
His Lakers career was relatively short but oh-so-sweet. He was a first-round draft pick in 1970 and only played 3 seasons with the club. But he was particularly effective the final 2 of his years, averaging close to 19 PPG each season,
After the great Elgin Baylor was forced to retire 9 games into the 1971-72 season due to injury, Jim stepped into the starting lineup. Coincidently or not, the Lakers took off like a rocket. In the very next game, they won the first of what turned out to be 33 straight games, which remains the longest winning streak in any of the four major North American pro sports leagues.
That was also the season the Lakers won their first NBA title in LA. Jimmy was the team’s third-leading scorer behind future Hall of Famers Gail Goodrich and Jerry West. He repeated that performance the following season when the team lost in the Finals to the Knicks.
Mac was especially well known for his almost automatic baseline jumper. He ranks 17th in career PPG (and 8th in postseason PPG).
Greatest Lakers of all time: 28- Robert Horry
- 7 seasons, 448 games, 3 titles
- 6.3 PPG
- 5.3 RPG
“Big Shot Rob” is a difficult player to rate. He has the lowest scoring average of any player on this list and never averaged double figures in points or rebounds with the Lakers. In fact his stats are only slightly better than Kurt Rambis, who didn’t come close to making this list.
So why is Rob ranked #28? The biggest hint is in his nickname. In most games he seemed to float along, doing nothing particularly notable. But he lived for the game’s biggest moments. When the game was on the line, there were few players any better, including his teammates Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
Despite his ordinary stats, he was one of the game’s best clutch shooters. Most famously, he made a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that defeated Sacramento in game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference finals.
Overall, Horry was the ultimate role player and an integral part of the Lakers “3-peat” champs from 2000-02.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 27- Mychal Thompson
- 5 seasons, 335 games, 2 titles
- 8.9 PPG
- 5.4 RPG
Many now know him as a Lakers radio commentator and the father of Warriors star Klay Thompson. But Mychal was also quite a player.
He was selected by Portland with the top pick of the draft in 1978, and during 7 seasons there he averaged over 17 points and 9 rebounds. By 1986, Thompson was a key reserve for a Spurs team that was going nowhere. Then in February 1987, during the heart of the Showtime era, Mychal was traded to the Lakers- much to his delight, as LA was his favorite team while he grew up in the Bahamas.
His down-to-earth stats with the Lakers fail to show his true value. The team had so many offensive weapons that they didn’t need much scoring from Thompson. But Mychal made his biggest impact on the defensive end. He became the team’s stopper against the Celtics’ Kevin McHale, who killed the Lakers during both the 1984 and 1985 Finals before Thompson arrived. The two had been college teammates at the University of Minnesota, and Mychal knew how to guard him better than anyone in the league.
The Showtime Lakers made the NBA Finals 4 times in his 5 seasons, winning titles in both 1987 over Boston and 1988 against Detroit. Thompson happily embraced a backup role, playing roughly half the game at both center and power forward. He was regularly on the court during fourth quarter crunch time.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 26- Bob McAdoo
- 4 seasons, 224 games, 2 titles
- 12.1 PPG
- 4.1 RPG
“McAdoo can do” provided tremendous offensive firepower as a backup at both center and power forward that helped fuel the Showtime Lakers success.
He essentially preceded Thompson as the big man off the bench, but his contributions were much different. Like Mychal, Bob had also been a high draft pick (#2 in 1972), and became one of the best-shooting big men of all-time, the Kevin Durant of his generation. He averaged over 30 points a game three times, leading the NBA each time, and 25 or more in four other seasons, and was a 5-time all-star.
By the time McAdoo joined the Lakers early in the 1981-82 season, he was no longer the dominant player he once had been, and was unable to play major minutes on a regular basis. He had bounced around the league, playing for three different teams the past three seasons.
But Mac was the perfect big man to come off the bench to provide instant offense in relief of Kareem or alongside him at power forward. He was particularly effective during the 1982 playoffs, averaging nearly 17 points as the Lakers defeated the 76ers to win a title, and he was also a solid contributor to the 1985 championship team. Overall Bob ranks 33rd on the Lakers in PPG.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 25- Eddie Jones
- 5 seasons, 314 games
- 15.2 PPG
- 3.0 APG
- 2.1 steals
He was the Lakers’ first-round pick of the 1994 draft (#10 overall), and is one of the team’s most under-rated players historically. He was a model of consistent, solid, all-around play at both ends of the court.
Steady Eddie was the team’s best player for several post-Showtime seasons and made 2 all-star teams. He ranks 1st in career steals per game, 18th in PPG, 23rd in APG, 28th in career points, and also shot 46% from the field and nearly 38% from behind the 3-point line while averaging 3.8 rebounds per game.
Although he only made the NBA All-Defensive team once with the Lakers, EJ was generally regarded as one of the league’s best defensive players, and used his quickness and athleticism to finish in the top 50 all-time in the league in steals.
When Jones played with the Lakers, they were good enough to make the playoffs each season but could never quite harness its talent enough to even get to the Finals, much less win a title. Still Eddie did all he could. In fact, it took two seasons for a young future star named Kobe Bryant to ultimately replace him in the starting lineup at shooting guard.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 24- Derek Fisher
- 13 seasons, 915 games, 5 titles
- 7.9 PPG
- 2.9 APG
Fish was another of the Lakers essential role players whose value far exceeded his stats. His popularity often causes fans to somewhat over-rate him. But he was a solid contributor to 5 Laker championship teams.
He was drafted the same year as Bryant, and the two of them bonded both on and off the basketball court. Because Derek didn’t demand the ball, in certain respects he was the perfect backcourt complement to Kobe.
Fisher was not a traditional type of point guard, but Phil Jackson’s triangle offense suited him especially well. That offense takes the ball out of the point guard’s hands, instead requiring him to pass it to a wing shortly after advancing past midcourt.
That allowed Fish to spot up and be available when defenses inevitably double-teamed Bryant and O’Neal. He was not a particularly good outside shooter when he entered the NBA, but through hard work and perseverance he became much more of a marksman.
Although some ultra-quick point guards caused him defensive trouble, as they do to most every opponent, Derek was a hard-nosed defender who maintained excellent position, time and again drawing offensive fouls. His physicality was one of his greatest assets.
His other strengths were his leadership, his mastery of the triangle offense and his clutch shots. Most notable of the latter was his game-winning shot with 0.4 seconds remaining against the Spurs in the 2004 playoffs, and his two late game 3-pointers in the 2009 Finals against the Magic.
His ranking reflects his championship contributions and transcends his rather modest career averages. Fish played in the 5th most games in Lakers regular season history and is 25th in APG and 18th in total points. He also ranks 2nd in postseason games played and 9th in points scored.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 23- Slater Martin
- 7 seasons, 484 games, 4 titles
- 9.9 PPG
- 4.1 APG
Slater was the point guard during the heyday of the Minneapolis Lakers, a time that few current NBA fans watched. He quarterbacked the team to the last 4 of its 5 Minneapolis titles in his 7 years with the Lakers. He also made the all-star team in 4 of those seasons.
Although he was only 5-10, “Dugie” was known for his strong defense. Bob Cousy of the Boston Celtics acknowledged that Slater was one of the toughest defenders he ever faced.
Martin was also recognized as one of the game’s best passers. But in a lower-scoring era, he averaged as high as 6 assists in only one season. He relied on teammates George Mikan, Jim Pollard and Vern Mikkelsen to carry the scoring load.
Slater ranks 12th in APG and 27th in career points for the Lakers. And even though none of his stats are eye-catching, his ballhandling and defense made him one of the best players in the league in its infancy during the 1950s and helped earn him election to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 22- Happy Hairston
- 6 seasons, 394 games, 1 title
- 15.2 PPG
- 12.4 RPG
Even though he played most of his Laker years alongside the great Wilt Chamberlain, Happy was still a rebounding machine. He ranks 4th in RPG, 19th in PPG and 22nd in total points, and played an important role on the Lakers first LA championship team.
Unfortunately, Happy is not well-remembered. On a recent television show, Shaq O’Neal confessed he didn’t know who Hairston was.
For those readers who don’t recognize his name either, Hairston was the Lakers starting power forward in the early 1970s. For much of that time he played with Chamberlain and the backcourt of Jerry West and Gail Goodrich. The fact that he played with those excellent scorers and still managed to score over 15 points is impressive.
At 6-7, 225, Happy wasn’t particularly big, but he was known as a hard-nosed defender. He was also an important part of the 1971-72 Lakers team that set the standard of 33 straight wins and captured the franchise’s first LA championship.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 21- Rudy LaRusso
- 8 seasons, 582 games, 4 NBA Finals
- 14.1 PPG
- 9.6 RPG
Rudy is another player that current fans may not know. He was the power forward and often the “third banana” on ‘60s Lakers teams that featured Baylor and West. But he was a 3-time all-star, and ranks 8th in RPG, 26th in PPG and 13th in career points.
LaRusso was about the same size as Hairston, 6-7 and 220. Although he often went up against bigger opponents, he used his great strength to play a tenacious, physical game. He was known as a tough competitor, a rugged defender, and an excellent rebounder.
Rudy’s strong offensive skills were somewhat obscured on the Lakers because of the tremendous one-two scoring punch of Baylor and West. Even so, he had a 50-point outburst in a 1962 game. His offensive game emerged more fully during his final two NBA seasons for the Warriors, when he raised his average to 21.3 points.
The Lakers were unable to win any NBA titles when LaRusso played for them, but they were consistently one of the best teams in the league. And Rudy remains one of the least-appreciated first-rate players in team history.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 20- Jim Pollard
- 7 seasons, 438 games, 5 titles
- 13.2 PPG
- 7.8 RPG
- 3.2 APG
Few readers have ever seen him play, but Jim was a mainstay on all 5 Minneapolis Lakers championship teams. Like his teammate, dominating center George Mikan, Pollard was widely considered to be one of the best players of the early 1950’s.
He was a tremendous 6-foot-4 athlete who was nicknamed “The Kangaroo Kid” for his outlandish jumping ability, Jim was one of the first players to play above the rim. He was also one of the fastest players in the league and often led the charge downcourt to become the finisher on the fast-break.
He was also an excellent ball-handler who was adept at beating his opponent off the dribble while having the agility to finish at the hoop. Plus he was known as a top defender.
Pollard was a four-time all-star, albeit in a 10-team league, and was a Hall of Fame inductee despite his modest statistics by modern standards. Throughout his 7-season Lakers career he consistently scored between 10.8 and 15.5 PPG. Overall he ranks 17th in RPG, 20th in APG, 29th in PPG and 24th in total points.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 19- Vern Mikkelsen
- 10 seasons, 699 games, 4 titles
- 14.4 PPG
- 9.4 RPG
The burly “oldie but goodie” was known as the league’s first true power forward. Few fans are familiar with Vern, and even fewer have ever seen in action. He played for the Minneapolis Lakers during their heyday when they won 4 of their 5 titles in the early 1950s.
At 6-7, 230, Mikkelsen was tough and strong, and was known for his outstanding, aggressive defense, and typically guarded the opposition’s best player. He was a 6-time all-star (at a time when there were only 10 teams in the league) and was ultimately voted into the Hall of Fame.
He was an excellent complement to his frontcourt teammates Pollard and Mikan. For the Lakers, he is 11th in RPG, 24th in PPG, 12th in career points and 11th in games played.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 18- Norm Nixon
- 6 seasons, 485 games, 2 titles
- 15.7 PPG
- 8.3 APG
- 1.8 steals
Stormin’ Norman has been somewhat forgotten and is often under-rated by many of today’s fans. He was an outstanding player for the Lakers in the late 70s and in the early years of the Showtime Era.
Nixon was a first-round pick (22nd) of the 1977 draft. He immediately impressed coaches and teammates and moved right into the starting lineup as a rookie. That team already had an excellent scoring duo of Abdul-Jabbar and Jamaal Wilkes and also added Adrian Dantley shortly after the season began. Nixon fit in extremely well, averaging 13.7 points and 6.8 assists, good rookie marks that each turned out to be career lows.
The Lakers lost in the playoffs both that year and the following season to eventual Western Conference champion Seattle. In the 1979 offseason, they drafted point guard Magic Johnson with the top pick of the draft, prompting fans to wonder how well Nixon and Johnson would fare together in the same backcourt.
The answer was, quite well indeed. In Magic’s rookie season, they had very similar statistics, collectively averaging 35.6 points and 15 assists per game, and helping the Lakers win the 1980 title.
Altogether Nixon and Johnson played 4 seasons together, compiling comparable and sometimes even better numbers, and the Lakers won another championship in 1982. But after falling short in 1983, the team wanted to pair Magic with a younger, more athletic, better-defending teammate, and traded Nixon on draft day for Byron Scott.
Throughout his Lakers career, Norm was known for his ball-handling and passing skills, for being one of the league’s fastest players off the dribble, and for his very accurate jumper from the top or side of the key. He was remarkably consistent, averaging between 17 and 18 points for 4 consecutive seasons, and made one all-star team.
Overall, in 6 Lakers seasons, Nixon ranks 2nd all-time in APG, 3rd in steals, 14th in career points, 15th in PPG, 20th in Laker games played. and connected on a very strong 48.3% of his shots from the field. His good stats unsurprisingly carried over to the postseason, where he is 2nd in assists and 10th in PPG and 20th in total points. Norm also ranks 11th among all NBA players in assists per game.
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.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 16- Anthony Davis
- 4 seasons, 173 games, 1 title (Stats updated during 2023 NBA all-star break)
- 24.5 PPG
- 9.8 RPG
- 2.1 blocks
AD is one of the toughest players to guard in the NBA. And, because of the difficulty comparing his short-term excellence with the longer-term (6 Lakers seasons and more) quality of others, he is also the hardest Laker to rank.
He signed an extension that should keep him with the team for at least another three seasons, probably longer, and in the years ahead his ranking should climb higher. For now, he is slotted immediately ahead of four forwards who can easily be lumped together.
Hairston, LaRusso, Pollard and Mikkelsen each contributed greatly to successful Lakers teams, although none as the biggest star. And each compiled very good but not great statistics in his 6-to-10 seasons with the club.
But Davis has had the greater impact so far in his short Lakers stint. He shined throughout his first regular season, averaging 26.1 PPG. His overall 25.1 point scoring average would rank fifth in Lakers history, just ahead of Kobe Bryant. AD rose to an even greater height in the postseason, where he averaged 27.7 points, which would tie Shaquille O’Neal for second place.
Injuries have derailed AD in his third and fourth season with the team. With a clean bill of health, he may have ranked even higher on this list as of 2023. But 16th on the most decorated franchise in the NBA still is not bad.
Like Pollard and Mikkelsen, Davis should eventually be voted into the Hall of Fame. And in time he could very well rise into the exalted air of the Lakers top 10 players.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 15- Byron Scott
- 11 seasons, 846 games, 3 titles
- 15.1 PPG
- 2.8 APG
The Lakers traded Nixon for Scott, who finished out the Showtime decade as a high-flyer on the fast break and key outside shooter. He ranks 20th in PPG and 9th in total points and is tied for 8th in games played
Byron, a graduate of Morningside High School in Inglewood, ended up playing in his home city at the Fabulous Forum with the Lakers, where he flourished as a Showtime backcourt partner of Magic Johnson for 8 seasons. He was an outstanding finisher on the fast break, where he often exploded for thunderous dunks, and was also the team’s best outside shooter.
The team had so many offensive weapons that Scott was usually only the 4th or at best 3rd option. Still, he was an integral contributor to 3 championship teams, two of them against the hated Celtics, and even led the team in scoring in the 1987-88 season, when he averaged 21.7 PPG.
After leaving in free agency to explore opportunities with other teams, Byron returned to the Lakers in 1996-97 for his final NBA season. That year he helped mentor rookie Kobe Bryant and the two formed a close relationship that continued when Scott coached the Lakers for Kobe’s final two seasons.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 14- Michael Cooper
- 12 seasons, 873 games, 5 titles
- 8.9 PPG
- 4.2 RPG
The hard-nosed Coop’s value far exceeds his stats. He was an extremely versatile multi-position player and a true winner who did whatever the Lakers needed, which is why teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar calls him the team’s Swiss Army knife.
Initially, his primary role was a defensive stopper. Cooper guarded the opponent’s best perimeter player as closely as humanly possible, never allowing him to get comfortable. In particular, he gave Boston’s Larry Bird fits. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive first or second team for 8 consecutive years.
As the years went by, Michael also assumed more responsibilities on the offensive end. At first his chief skill was converting lob passes into “Coop-a-Loop” dunks. But starting in 1985 he developed an accurate 3-point shot, converting 38% or better in 3 of the next 4 years. He also became a good enough ball-handler to back Magic up at point guard, and even started some games there when Johnson was hurt. Overall, he improved his game as a pro as much as any player ever has.
Every winning team needs role players like Michael Cooper, who ranks 10th in APG, 16th in total points and 7th in games played for the Lakers. It is difficult to separate him from Scott in the ratings. Each had different strengths. But Coop gets the nod- barely- because of all the intangibles he contributed to the team’s success. He joined Magic and Abdul-Jabbar as the only Showtime Era Lakers to earn 5 championship rings.
Any of the last four players, Nixon, Odom, Scott and Cooper, would likely fit into the top 10 of most other teams. The fact that they only rank in the Lakers teens is a testament to how many great players the team has had. So does the ranking for the next player
Greatest Lakers of all time: 13- LeBron James
- 5 seasons, 268 games, 1 title (Stats updated during 2023 NBA all-star break)
- 27.5 PPG
- 8.0 assists
- 8.1 rebounds
Of course LeBron is one of the greatest players of all time. But as a reminder, these player rankings are based solely on how they performed as a Laker. And James complied most of his success in his 15 seasons with Cleveland and Miami.
Why should he be ranked this high? Although most Lakers slotted in the dozen or so positions below him had longer careers with the Lakers, and many won multiple titles, all were supporting players. LeBron, along with AD, propelled the Lakers into championship #17 and helped position them as a probable contender for at least the next few years.
His scoring average would place him fourth on the Lakers list and he would rank second in assists per game. In the postseason, his averages of 27.6 points and 8.8 assists would put him, respectively, in third and second position.
Why shouldn’t he be ranked even higher? Similar to Davis, it’s a matter of LeBron’s short-term superiority compared with other’s longer-term preeminence.
If LeBron can win another title in Los Angeles then he will undoubtedly shoot up this list and surpass come Lakers legends. Until then, it is hard to rank the NBA’s all-time leading scorer higher than 13th.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 12- Pau Gasol
- 7 seasons, 429 games, 2 titles
- 17.7 PPG
- 9.9 RPG
- 3.5 APG
- 1.4 blocks
One of the league’s most consistent, multi-talented front court players, Pau was a 3-time all-star who helped the Lakers reach the Finals each of his first 3 seasons with the club.
When Andrew Bynum went down with a serious knee injury, General Manager Mitch Kupchak, in perhaps his best-ever move, traded for Pau. At first Gasol replaced Bynum at center, teaming with power forward Odom and Bryant to lead the Lakers to the NBA Finals. After Bynum returned, Gasol moved over to power forward, where he had predominantly played at Memphis, and gave the Lakers an outstanding “high-low’ combination. When Bynum was out, Gasol switched back over to the 5 alongside Odom. The native Spaniard was equally adept at both positions.
Pau was a natural fit in Phil Jackson’s triangle offense, in which he excelled. He had a soft touch, could score inside with either hand and was an outstanding passer as well as a solid rebounder.
Gasol was a major force propelling the Lakers to their back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010. Some thought that Gasol rather than Bryant should have been named the Finals MVP against the Celtics in the second title run.
Pau ranks 10th in PPG, 7th in RPG, 17th in total points and 16th in APG. Along the way he formed a close bond and friendship with Kobe. Because of his performances in both the NBA and in international competition, Gasol will almost certainly be voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. And if Bryant had his way, after Pau retires from the NBA he will be the 11th LA Lakers player to have his jersey retired.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 11- Jamaal Wilkes
- 8 seasons, 575 games, 3 titles
- 18.4 PPG
- 5.4 RPG
Nicknamed “Silk”, because of how smooth he looked on the court, the former UCLA star played his first 3 seasons with the Warriors before signing as a free agent in 1977 with the Lakers, joining Kareem and rookie point guard Norm Nixon.
Wilkes was known for the unorthodox, weird-looking corkscrew windup on his jump shot, bringing the ball back behind his head before releasing it. But that shot was so uncannily accurate and reliable that famed Lakers announcer Chick Hearn labeled it the “20-foot layup”.
The slender (6-6, 190) Wilkes was also an excellent finisher on the fast break. And he was a great teammate. Although he made the All-Star team twice for the Lakers, his ego was quite content to allow most of the accolades to fall on his more famous superstar teammates like Abdul-Jabbar and later Magic Johnson.
The best game of Silk’s career occurred in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Fans may recall that was the game which Kareem was forced to miss with a sprained ankle, and Magic stepped in to jump center and have a fabulous performance with 42 points and 15 rebounds. But Wilkes was also outstanding, scoring a career-high 37 points and grabbing 10 boards just when his team needed him the most.
Jamaal was a model of consistency, averaging double figures in points for his first 7 Lakers years, including over 20 points per game in 3 straight seasons from 1980-82. Not coincidentally the Lakers won titles in 2 of those years. But by the 1984-85 season, injuries began to limit his court time and eventually ended his career after he played his final NBA season with the Clippers.
Wilkes ranks 9th all-time among Lakers in PPG and 10th in total points (10,601, which no player is anywhere close to passing), and is also 15th in games played. As is the case with each of the top 10 players, he is in the Basketball Hall of Fame, and his Lakers number is retired, with his jersey hanging in the rafters at Staples Center.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 10- Gail Goodrich
- 9 seasons, 687 games,1 title
- 19.0 PPG
- 4.2 APG
- 1.5 steals
“Stumpy” had two stints with the Lakers, becoming a major force the second time around. He was the leading scorer on LA’s first title team, was a 4-time all-star, and ranks 8th in PPG, 8th in career points, 7th in steals, 11th in APG and 12th in games played
He was originally drafted out of UCLA In 1965, and he had three pretty good but unremarkable years with them. He was then selected by Phoenix in the NBA expansion draft. When the Lakers traded back for him two years later, Gail’s offensive talents had blossomed. This time around, he had six consecutive outstanding seasons, averaging over 20 PPG in four of them.
For four straight years starting in 1971-72, it was the 6-1 Goodrich, with his deadeye jump shot, who led the team in scoring and who made the all-star team each year. That included the first LA title team in 1972, during which Gail averaged a career-high 25.9 PPG, combining with West, who scored 25.8, to form the league’s highest-scoring duo. That same season Goodrich also averaged 4.4 assists. For his Lakers career, he shot a respectable 46% from the field, an excellent 81.7% from the foul line, and averaged 1.5 steals.
In addition to those first-rate achievements, Goodrich still made one more significant contribution to LA, albeit unintentionally. In 1976 he signed as a free agent with the then-New Orleans Jazz. NBA rules in those days required compensation for the team left behind. So it was arranged that the Lakers would get the Jazz’ #1 pick in 1979- which turned out to be Magic Johnson
All nine players remaining players achieved outstanding success with the Lakers. Along with their individual statistics, each of them was a Finals MVP or would have been had the award existed during his playing days.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 9- Wilt Chamberlain
- 5 seasons, 339 games, 1 title
- 17.7 PPG
- 19.2 RPG
- 4.3 APG
“The Big Dipper” was of course a superstar long before he was traded to the Lakers. He was one of, if not the most, dominating players in NBA history. For each of the first 7 seasons of his career he averaged at least 35 points and 20 rebounds per game, including an incredible 50.4 points and 25.7 boards in 1961-62. He still holds several NBA scoring records, most famously tallying 100 points in a single game.
The Lakers traded for Wilt prior to the 1968-69 season, his 10th year in the league. By then, his offensive skills, although still formidable, were no longer dominant, but he was still a great rebounder and shot blocker. Fans hoped that combining him with Elgin Baylor and Jerry West would create a “super-team” that could finally knock off the Celtics in the Finals. However, LA once again fell to Boston in 7 games, and endured the same result the following year against the New York Knicks.
It appeared the window was closing on LA, which still hadn’t won a title since moving from Minneapolis. Baylor’s career was winding down due to injury, and a new force was rising in Milwaukee, where a young superstar center named Lew Alcindor led the Bucks to the 1971 championship.
But that suddenly changed the following season. Behind the scoring of West and Goodrich and Chamberlain’s tenacious play on defense and on the boards, the Lakers won a still-record 33 straight games and a then-record 69 games. Then they defeated the Knicks in the Finals for their first LA championship and Wilt was named MVP of the Finals.
In his 5 Lakers seasons, Chamberlain was a 4-time all-star who ranks 1st on the team in career RPG, 11th in PPG, 23rd in total points and somewhat surprisingly 9th in APG. He also shot over 60% from the field (but just 47.5% from the free throw line). Although blocks were not yet an official statistic, it is generally acknowledged that he was also likely the Lakers all-time block leader.
For most teams, he would rank closer to the top. But the Lakers are not just any franchise, especially when it comes to big men. The primary reason that Wilt doesn’t rank higher is his relatively short time with the team. Every player ranked ahead of him played more than 100 games and at least two years longer with the Lakers.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 8- James Worthy
- 12 seasons, 926 games, 3 titles
- 17.6 PPG
- 5.1 RPG
- 3.0 APG
Big Game James was the #1 pick of the 1983 draft. The Lakers got that pick three years earlier from Cleveland in exchange for Don Ford, a pretty good but never great forward. It turned out to be one of the best trades the Lakers ever made.
In both his rookie and final years, James came off the bench. In the 10 years in-between, he almost always started, and averaged double figures in points every year. In 7 of those seasons, he was chosen for the All-Star team.
Worthy replaced Wilkes as the starting small forward and became an integral part of the Showtime Lakers. He teamed with fellow stars Abdul-Jabbar, Magic, Cooper and Byron Scott to form the nucleus of what is generally regarded as the best Lakers team ever, and one of if not the best the NBA has ever seen.
Worthy was the recipient of countless Magic passes on the fast break, where he was a tremendous finisher. In a set offense, his lightning-quick first step enabled him to beat virtually any defender off the dribble on an unstoppable drive to the hoop.
James earned his nickname because he had his finest game when the spotlight shined the brightest. In Game 7 of the 1988 Finals, he recorded his only career triple double with 36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists. Fittingly, he was named Finals MVP.
His other titles were perhaps even more meaningful because they came against the hated Celtics. Worthy was a big factor in both championships. In fact, he’s one of the few players whose playoff stats (21.1 PPG, 7th all-time for the Lakers, and 5.2 RPG) exceed his regular season numbers.
In his regular season career, James ranks 12th in PPG, 6th in total points, 24th in APG and 4th in games played. Had he played on a team with less-talented teammates, those numbers would have been even higher.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 7- George Mikan
- 7 seasons, 439 games, 5 titles
- 23.1 PPG
- 13.4 RPG
“Mikan the Magnificent” was the first NBA superstar. He was the league’s first dominant big man during its infancy in the early 1950’s, leading the Minneapolis Lakers to 5 titles in 6 years, including 3 straight from 1952-54.
He was also the league’s best player in those days, voted for 6 straight years to the All-League 1st Team and to the NBA’s first 4 all-star teams and would have been a multiple MVP winner if they had the award back then.
He led the league in scoring three times, averaging over 25 points per game in each of those seasons. Fouling him did the opponents little good as George shot a strong 78.6% from the free-throw line, where he mastered the underhanded shot.
At 6 foot 10 inches and 240 pounds, the bespectacled Mikan dwarfed most of his opponents and overpowered them in the paint. Because of his inside preeminence, the league widened the lane and established a goaltending rule.
Big George was known for his hook shot with which he was equally effective both right and left-handed. Nearly 70 years later, young big men are still taught the “Mikan drill”, shooting underneath the basket with either hand.
Surprisingly, his field goal percentage was poor by today’s standards as he shot only a tad over 40%. But it was a different era when shooters were not nearly as refined as they are today, and his percentage was respectable for the times.
His career was relatively short. He played just 6 years with Minneapolis, retired and then came back with them for one final season in 1955-56. Over the course of those 7 seasons, he ranks 5th on the Lakers in PPG, 11th in total points and 3rd in RPG (although rebounds were not officially maintained as a statistic for his first 2 years).
Mikan’s averages rose slightly in the postseason. Had there been a Finals MVP award in his time, it is likely he would have been a 5-time winner.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 6- Shaquille O’Neal
- 8 seasons, 514 games, 3 titles, 4 NBA Finals
- 27.0 PPG
- 11.8 RPG
- 2.5 blocks
- 3.1 APG
Some fans will be surprised (Amazed? Incredulous?) that Shaq wasn’t ranked higher since his 8 seasons with the Lakers were nothing short of spectacular.
He was a relentless beast under the basket. Like Mikan and Chamberlain before him, O’Neal absolutely dominated the paint, a 7-1, 325 pound unrelenting force of nature that was impossible to guard. It was also extremely difficult for referees to judge foul calls for and against him
Shaq signed with the Lakers for his fifth season as a free agent in July 1996, a month after the team had acquired Kobe Bryant on draft day. Lakers executive Jerry West was ecstatic, with visions of future titles flashing before his eyes.
Yet it wasn’t until Shaq’s fourth season in LA, when Phil Jackson brought with him the triangle offense that was a perfect fit for O’Neal, that the Lakers won the NBA championship. Then they repeated the following year and completed a three-peat in 2002.
The Diesel put up terrific regular season numbers. He was a 7-time all-star who is tied for 2nd in PPG, 7th in career points, 5th in RPG, and 22nd in APG. He converted nearly 58% of his field goal attempts (but only 53% of his free throws).
But he was an even more dominant force in the postseason. During those three title years, his playoff averages spanning 58 games were 29.9 points and 14.8 rebounds per game. And oh yes, he was named Finals MVP for those 3 consecutive years.
On most teams O’Neal would have been far and away the franchise’s best player. So why is he only ranked 6th on the Lakers?
The answer is that O’Neill ranks only 18th in games played. Each of the top 5 players ranked above him was also an outstanding Hall-of-Famer and wore the purple and gold for at least 5 more seasons and at least 300 more games than Shaq did.
As a side note, had Shaq remained a Laker for the rest of his career, as did all 5 remaining players, his scoring and rebounding averages would certainly have dropped a bit from the spectacular levels because his career had started to spiral downward. But ranking #6 on the Lakers is still an impressive achievement.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 5- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- 14 seasons, 1,093 games, 5 titles, 8 NBA Finals
- 22.1 PPG
- 9.4 RPG
- 3.3 APG
- 2.5 blocks
This ranking will also surprise some fans. It could be argued that Kareem, a master of the game’s most unstoppable shot, the sky hook, is the best NBA player of all time.
As virtually every pro basketball fan knows, KAJ scored the second-most career points in league history. At 7-foot-1 but a relatively thin 225 pounds, he relied more on his agility and finesse than on raw power. He possessed the #1 scoring weapon ever seen in the NBA, the unstoppable sky hook.
During his dominant college career at UCLA, the Bruins won 3 straight titles. Kareem (then playing under his given name, Lew Alcindor) was named the Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA tournament each year. He was quite possibly the best collegiate player of all time.
He was picked first in the 1969 draft, and in his second season led Milwaukee to what is still its only NBA championship. He played 6 spectacular years for the Bucks but yearned to live in a larger city with greater cultural opportunities and was accommodated with a trade to the Lakers in 1975.
Like Wilt before him and Shaq later on, Kareem did not immediately bring a title to LA. But beginning in 1980, the Lakers experienced their greatest sustained period of success, and the big man in the middle was a large reason why. Over the next 12 seasons, LA made 9 trips to the Finals and won 5 titles, including their first victory over the rival Celtics in 1985, when the Big Fella was named Finals MVP.
Kareem played 14 seasons with the Lakers and averaged over 20 points per game in his first 11 before finally slowing down a bit at age 39 for the 1986-87. But even that year he raised his game back up in the playoffs to help LA defeat Boston in the Finals once more and did so again the following year when they became repeat champions against Detroit.
With the Lakers, he was a 13-time all-star who is 6th in PPG, 3rd in total points, 12th in RPG, 18th in APG, and 2nd in games played. He was also 3rd in both postseason points and games played, and 6th in playoff PPG. In addition to that Finals MVP, he also won 3 regular season MVPs with the team.
So why is Kareem “only” number 5? In part because the 6 years he played for Milwaukee, when he averaged 30.4 points and 15.3 rebounds, were his best statistically. Also, it is extremely hard to compare great centers with first-rate wings. Finally, the Lakers have of course had more true superstars than any other franchise, and it is a difficult task to differentiate between them.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 4- Elgin Baylor
- 14 seasons, 846 games, 8 NBA Finals
- 27.4 PPG
- 13.5 RPG
- 4.3 APG
It’s possible that Elgin was the most overlooked, underrated superstar of all time. But when his statue was unveiled at Staples Center in 2018, his accomplishments were deservedly recognized.
Readers who were too young to see him in action missed watching a very special player. Unfortunately, he played at a time when few NBA games were televised, and there is limited video of him in action to be seen.
Baylor was a mid-air acrobat who did things nobody else was doing. He seemed to have an ability to hang in the air longer than anybody else and was agile enough to maneuver his body in ways never seen before.
Elgin mastered every shot you could imagine, and several that nobody could, from seemingly impossible angles. A direct line can be drawn from him to Connie Hawkins to Dr. J to Michael Jordan to Kobe Bryant, who admitted that he “stole” moves from Baylor.
Elgin played his first two years in Minneapolis before moving west with the Lakers to L.A. in 1960. He averaged 24.9 points his rookie year, and bested that the next 6 seasons, including 3 straight years when he averaged over 30 PPG, becoming LA’s first superstar basketball player. Following a knee injury that would plague him the rest of his career, he dropped to only 16.6 points in 1965-66, but then had 4 straight years of 24 or more PPG.
His Lakers teams had the misfortune of playing the Celtics in the Finals 6 times in the 60s and came up short each time. Three of those series went 7 games, and once game 7 went into overtime. But the dynamic duo of Baylor and his great teammate Jerry West were always outdone by a Boston team that featured multiple Hall-of Famers, including Bill Russell (a good friend of Baylor’s), Bob Cousy, Tom Heinsohn, Sam Jones and John Havlicek.
In 1962, Baylor set a Finals record that still stands today when he scored 61 points against the Celtics. He also scored 71 points in a regular season game against the Knicks, a Lakers record that Bryant broke when he scored 81 in 2006. Only 3 other NBA players (Chamberlain 5 times, David Thompson and David Robinson) have ever scored more than 70 points in a game.
Elgin was an 11-time all-star who ranks 1st in Lakers PPG (3rd in playoff PPG), 4th in career points (5th in the playoffs), 8th in APG, tied for 8th in games played and, despite standing just 6-5, 2nd in RPG (3rd in the postseason).
Greatest Lakers of all time: 3- Jerry West
- 14 seasons, 932 games, 1 title, 9 NBA Finals
- 27.0 PPG
- 6.7 APG
- 5.8 RPG
“Zeke” was the best “combo guard” the NBA has ever seen, switching seamlessly depending on who his backcourt mate was. The Minneapolis Lakers drafted Jerry #2 in the 1960 draft behind the fabulous Oscar Robertson. But the team moved to LA shortly thereafter, so Jerry played his entire 14-year career in the City of the Angels.
In the 1960’s Baylor and West formed the greatest 1-2 scoring punch in NBA history. In the 10 full-time seasons they played together, each averaged over 20 PPG 9 times, and both averaged over 30 in 1961-62.
“Mr. Clutch” excelled at every aspect of the game. He is probably best known as a shooter, and was one of the finest in league history, displaying such flawless form that his likeness is used for the NBA logo.
But Jerry was far more than just a shooter. He also drove to the basket fearlessly, was an outstanding ball-handler and passer, was one of the best defenders in basketball, and was an excellent rebounder for his size.
If the NBA received media attention in West’s day the way it does today, he and his equally great teammate Baylor would be featured nightly on Sportscenter. It is very difficult to rank one over the other. But since Jerry stayed healthier longer, he gets the slight nod.
Here are some of West’s accolades:
- He was voted onto the All-NBA team 12 times in his 14 seasons (11 times on the first team), missing out only in his rookie and final years
- Although he was never voted regular season MVP, he finished 2nd four times and 3rd once
- In 1969, the season he “only” made the 2nd all-league team, he was voted MVP of the playoffs- even though he played on the losing team!
- He was voted onto the NBA All-Defensive team for its first 5 years of existence before missing out in his injury-shortened final season
A statistical summary is equally as impressive. In the regular season, Jerry averaged over 30 PPG four times (without the benefit of the 3-point shot), and for his career tied for 2nd in Lakers history in PPG, ranks 2nd in total points, 4th in APG, 3rd in games played and even 28th in rebounds.
The playoffs unfortunately caused him the most grief as his Laker teams were only able to capture the crown once, in 1972. But he turned it on even more when it counted the most.
In the postseason, West ranked first on the Lakers in PPG (29.1, topping 30 points 7 times including an incredible 40.6 point average in 1965) and 2nd in postseason points (4,457). And he still averaged 6.3 assists and 5.8 rebounds.
If anyone wonders why he was nicknamed Mr. Clutch, these two plays might provide some background. At the very end of game 3 of the 1962 Finals, he stole a Celtics inbounds pass and turned it into a last-second layup to beat Boston. In game 3 of the 1970 Finals, his ¾ court buzzer-beating swish forced overtime against the Knicks.
His biggest frustrations occurred in the NBA Finals, particularly against those hated Boston Celtics. Six times in eight years between 1962 and 1969, his Lakers made it to the final round, and each time they lost to Boston. Three of those series went 7 games, so you’d think the law of averages would apply and LA would have won at least once.
In 1971-72, the season that the Lakers won a record 33 straight games and captured their first-ever title in LA, West was a full-time point guard teamed with Gail Goodrich in the backcourt. Jerry averaged 25.8 points that year while also leading the NBA with 9.7 assists per game.
West was also an outstanding front office executive with the Lakers, and got revenge of sorts against the Celtics when the Showtime purple & gold beat Boston 2 out of 3 times in the 1980’s. But all these years later, he says he still despises and refuses to wear the color green. Jerry also acquired both O’Neal and Bryant to set up the title ‘three-peat’ years of 2000-02.
There is no doubt that West ranks in the upper echelon of Laker players as well as one of the greatest guards in league history. On most other franchises, Jerry West would be recognized as their greatest player in history. But the Lakers, of course, are not just any franchise.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 2- Magic Johnson
- 13 seasons, 906 games, 5 titles, 9 NBA Finals
- 19.5 PPG
- 11.2 APG
- 7.2 RPG
Many fans may have forgotten or are unaware that when the Lakers had the top pick of the 1979 draft, selecting Earvin Johnson was not a sure thing. In fact, at the time many argued that shooting guard Sidney Moncrief would be a better fit alongside Norm Nixon in the LA backcourt.
Moncrief went on to have a distinguished 11-year NBA career, making 5 straight all-star teams while playing with Milwaukee. But Lakers owner Jerry Buss recognized that Magic Johnson’s flamboyant style and Hollywood smile was indeed the perfect fit for the Lakers. Selecting him launched the legendary Showtime era, starting with teammates Nixon, Abdul-Jabbar, Wilkes and
Cooper, and later adding Worthy and Scott.
The primary knocks against Magic going into that draft was that at 6-9, he was too tall to play point guard in the NBA and that he couldn’t shoot. But he knew how to protect the ball against smaller, quicker defenders, & used his height to pass over them. And he improved as a shooter as much as any player ever has once he turned pro.
During his first 5 seasons, his free throw percentage ranged from 76-81%, good but not great. But he then shot 84% or better his final 8 years, including a league-leading 91.1% in 1988-89.
And in his first 9 seasons, Magic was a poor 3-point shooter who attempted very few shots beyond the arc. But he became respectable, increasing his attempts per game as his average rose over 30%, including 38% or better in 2 of his last 3 seasons.
It was his passing, however, that helped make Johnson such a special player. There may have never been a better player in the NBA to lead a fast break. Whether by conventional passes or the crowd-pleasing no-look variety, he consistently put the ball in the hands of his wings at the exact moment when they were in great position to convert lay-ups and dunks.
Magic led the league in assists per game 4 times, and averaged double-figure assists in 9 seasons. His career average of 11.1 is tops in history and his total assists ranks 5th all-time in the NBA. He knew instinctively how to get the best out of every teammate and always made them look good.
Behind his beaming smile lay a burning, tough as nails competitiveness. His coach Pat Riley recognized that quality and accordingly gave Johnson the nickname Buck.
Whatever name he was known by, he made the all-star team 11 times in his first 12 seasons, missing out only his second year when he was injured. Three times he was named the league MVP winner. But above all else, Johnson was the quintessential leader on the basketball court who did whatever it took to help the Lakers win.
Although he was more about team success than individual, Magic compiled outstanding statistics. For his Lakers career, including his one comeback season at age 36 following 4 missed years after testing HIV-positive, Earvin of course ranks first on the team in assists. But he’s also 5th in total points, 7th in PPG and 6th in games played. He hit over 50% of his field goal attempts 9 times and converted 52% in his career.
In the postseason, Johnson ranks 1st in assists (12.3), 4th in total points and 8th in PPG (19.5). He was also the Finals MVP 3 times, in 1980, ’82 and ’87.
But Magic’s impact on the Lakers and on the NBA extends beyond those impressive numbers. His Laker teams made the Finals 9 times in 12 years. No team in the modern era, since the Celtics of the late 1950’s and 1960’s, has experienced that level of success.
Those Showtime Lakers won 5 championships. If not for untimely postseason injuries, the Lakers could have added another one or two titles. His 1986-87 team won 65 regular season games and went 15-3 in the playoffs, culminating in a championship over the Celtics and Magic’s rival Larry Bird, and is regarded as one of the best teams the NBA has ever seen.
The only possible weakness to Magic’s game was his defense. He was just an ordinary man-to-man defender, not someone who could check a star opponent one-on-one. But he was an outstanding team defender, playing the “free safety” role to near perfection.
Magic is universally acclaimed as the greatest point guard in NBA history. A good argument could be made that he should rank as the best Laker ever. In these ratings he falls just a hair short, mostly due to the longer sustained excellence of the single player ranked above him.
Greatest Lakers of all time: 1- Kobe Bryant
- 20 seasons, 1,346 games, 5 titles, 7 NBA Finals
- 25.0 PPG
- 4.7 APG
- 5.2 RPG
From the time prior to the 1996 draft when West was blown away by Kobe’s work-out for the Lakers to the night in 2017 when the Lakers retired Bryant’s jerseys at Staples Center and Magic called him the greatest to wear the purple and gold, Kobe Bryant was magnificent.
One way to measure his greatness is to look at some of his statistics:
- Durability: Bryant played 20 seasons and 1,346 regular-season games in a Lakers uniform. That is 6 more years and 253 games more than anyone else played. He also played the most postseason games.
- Total Points: Kobe scored 33,643 regular-season points, the 3rd most in NBA history and 8,451 more than any other Laker scored. He also scored 5,640 postseason points, 4th in the NBA and nearly 1,200 more than any other Laker.
- Points Per Game: he ranks 4th on the team in both regular season and postseason (25.6) points per game. He averaged 25 or more PPG in 12 of 13 seasons in his prime.
- Single Game Scoring: he of course produced the second-highest single-game scoring output in NBA history, 81 points, one of six times he exceeded 60 points. He also scored 50 or more points in 26 games (10 times in the 2006-07 season, including 5 straight). He tallied 40 or more points in 135 games (3rd all-time behind Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan) plus 12 more times in the playoffs. Kobe also scored 63 in just 3 quarters (outscoring the entire Dallas team) in 2005, a Madison Square Garden record 61 points vs the Knicks in 2009, and a magical 60-point outburst in his final NBA game against Utah in 2016.
- Playmaking: somewhat surprisingly for a big-time shooter, he ranks 7th on the team in average assists (and 30th in the NBA).
- Awards & Honors: the Black Mamba was named to 18 all-star teams, including each of his final 17 seasons. He was voted all-NBA 15 times, 12 on the first team, and also made 12 all-Defensive teams, 9 times on the first team. Kobe was voted league MVP once (11 times finishing in the top 5), Finals MVP twice and all-star MVP 4 times. And he earned 5 NBA championship rings, equaling a team-high.
Beyond Kobe’s tremendous ability to put the ball in the basket, there was also his Warrior mentality. He drove his teams to the highest possible heights. Bryant had what Lakers announcer John Ireland called a “flair for the dramatic”.
He had a well-deserved reputation as one of the all-time best clutch players down the stretch of a game when his team needed him the most, often against the league’s best defenders. Among those he burned at the buzzer were Portland’s Scottie Pippen and Ruben Patterson, San Antonio’s Bruce Bowen, Sacramento’s Doug Christie, Phoenix’ Jason Kidd, Miami’s Dwyane Wade and Cleveland’s LeBron James.
Bryant was voted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. The Lakers retired both of his jerseys, numbers 8 and 24, in 2017. And Lakers owner Jeannie Buss has indicated, to nobody’s surprise, that a statue in Kobe’s honor will be erected outside Staples Center in the not-too-distant future. All are fitting honors to one of the best players in NBA history, whose untimely death in 2020 is still mourned by basketball fans worldwide.
Arguments could be made that one of several other all-time Laker stars could be considered the greatest. But for the reasons defined at the outset- his longevity with the team, his peak performance and his contributions towards franchise success- Kobe Bryant earns the top ranking.
For those keeping track, the top 50 was comprised of:
- 5 Minneapolis Lakers
- 11 early LA Lakers of the 1960s and early 70s
- 3 from the mid-to-late 1970s
- 10 Showtime Lakers
- 6 from the 1990s
- 8 from the Kobe years
- 7 of current & recent vintage
All statistics courtesy of www.basketball-reference.com