The 10 Greatest Lakers in history, ranked by Player Efficiency Rating (PER)
By Will Eudy
7. Jerry West - 22.9
Another of the most significant early pioneers of Lakers basketball, Jerry West dominated the game throughout the 1960s and 70s in a way scarcely ever seen at that time. He is one of five players in league history to earn an All-Star selection in every season of his playing career.
A point guard who could do it all, West compiled 12 All-NBA and five All-Defensive selections over the course of his career. He helped the Lakers take home the Larry O'Brien trophy in 1972. Jerry and Wilt Chamberlain led LA to their sixth championship in franchise history by defeating the New York Knicks in five games that year.
Jerry West is perhaps best known for his 1969 Finals MVP award. That season, the Boston Celtics defeated the Lakers in the Finals in seven games. However, West took home the award normally given to a player on the winning team due to his otherworldly performance.
He put up 37.9 points and 7.4 assists in the series. His scoring output is even more impressive considering the lack of a three-point line at the time. Jerry's lone Finals MVP remains the only one ever awarded to a player on the losing team. The fact that West dominated at the level he did while shooting 47% from the floor for his career explains his exceptional PER.