The 30 Best Lakers of All Time, Ranked

Seasons: 1993–98; 1994–99
Finals Appearances: 0; 0
Championships: 0; 0
Accolades: 1x All-Star; 2x All-Star
Jones and Van Exel bridged the gap between the Showtime Era and the Kobe-Shaq years. For a minute there, they were the Lakers’ backcourt of the future: a lefty gunslinger with a knack for taking (and making) big shots and a hyper-athletic wing with All-Defensive Team potential. But it soon became apparent that they weren’t a fit with where the Lakers were moving and both were eventually traded for players who contributed to championships (Tyronn Lue and Glen Rice, respectively).

Seasons: 1969–1975
Finals Appearances: 3
Championships: 1
Accolades: –
A 6-foot 7-inch bruiser on the boards, Harold “Happy” Hairston fit perfectly next to Wilt Chamberlain on the Lakers’ front line for a handful of seasons, including the historic 1971-72 team, which won 69 games, including an NBA-record 33 in a row en route to their first NBA title after moving to Los Angeles. Hairston also had an underappreciated post-game and averaged double figures in scoring during each of his six seasons as a Laker.

Seasons: 1981–85
Finals Appearances: 3
Championships: 2
Accolades: –
Though no longer a 30-point-per-game scorer or a perennial MVP candidate, McAdoo was still a dynamic frontcourt presence on the Lakers and played a vital part on two championship teams. He was instant offense off the bench for the Showtime Lakers, allowing coach Pat Riley to rest starter Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when needed. Perhaps McAdoo’s best moment was the 1982 NBA Finals where he averaged 16.3 points on 56 percent shooting in the Lakers triumph over the Sixers.

Seasons: 1997–2004
Finals Appearances: 4
Championships: 3
Accolades: –
Fox averaged double-digits in scoring in just one season in Purple and Gold but was essential to the 2000-02 three-peat. The ultimate “glue guy,” Pretty Ricky did all the little things that didn’t appear in the box score like setting screens, diving for loose balls, and getting Shaq the ball in crunch time; Fox could give a tutorial on post-entry passes, a lost art in the modern NBA. Fox also gave the Lakers an edge. He was chippy and physical and an elite antagonist. He once elbowed Doug Christie during a preseason game and fought him in the tunnel!

Seasons: 1949–1956
Finals Appearances: 4
Championships: 4
Accolades: 4x All-Star
Slater Martin was the 5-foot 10-inch engine for the Minneapolis Lakers during their 1950s dynasty, and a forerunner for any point guard who’s ever been described as “undersized” and “scrappy,” or referred to as a “floor general”—think Maurice Cheeks or Scott Skiles. Though not a great scorer, Martin was considered an elite defender in his day.

Seasons: 2005–2012
Finals Appearances: 3
Championships: 2
Accolades: 1x All-Star
The youngest player in Lakers history—Bynum was 18 years and 6 days old at the time of his pro debut—was also one of the best. A 7-foot center from New Jersey, Bynum was the Lakers first top ten pick in eleven years when he was drafted in 2005 and had the unenviable task of replacing Shaquille O’Neal, who the Lakers had traded to Miami the previous summer. Bynum’s progress was slow and steady but he was the subject of constant trade rumors as the Lakers sought to improve immediately around Kobe Bryant. Eventually, he developed into a stout post presence and rebounder and would be the fourth best player on back-to-back championship teams.

Seasons: 1996–2003
Finals Appearances: 3
Championships: 3
Accolades: –
When Robert Horry arrived in Los Angeles in January 1997, he was a two-time NBA champion with a reputation for hitting big shots in big moments. By the time he departed in the summer of 2003, he was a five-time NBA champion and a legend. “Big Shot Bob” got the most important bucket in Lakers history. In Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals against the Sacramento Kings, Horry collected a loose ball at the top of the key and hit a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer that evened the series at two games apiece. The Lakers would win the series, which was rife with controversy, in seven tight games and would go on to take their third consecutive NBA championship.

Seasons: 2004–2011
Finals Appearances: 3
Championships: 2
Accolades: 1x 6th Man of the Year
Odom was perhaps the most talented player in NBA history to have never made an All-Star team. A 6-foot 10-inch point forward, the Jamaica, Queens native could score, facilitate, rebound, and defend but struggled with his shot, focus, and consistency. When he was engaged, he was a perfect complement to Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol on the Lakers’ back-to-back championship teams.

Seasons: 1985–1993, 1999–2000
Finals Appearances: 5
Championships: 3
Accolades: 1x All-Star
A.C. Green was the Iron Man of the NBA—his 1,192 consecutive regular season games played is still a league record and, in this era of load management and soft tissue injuries, likely to stand for a long time. But he was more than just a stalwart. Green was a plus post defender who could run the floor alongside Magic Johnson and finish on the break. Though it has nothing to do with basketball it must be stated: Green, a devout Christian, remained celibate through his entire NBA career.

Seasons: 1996–2004, 2007–2012
Finals Appearances: 7
Championships: 5
Accolades: –
During the 2010-11 season, a reporter asked Kobe Bryant if he missed Derek Fisher when the veteran point guard was playing in Golden State and then Utah. “You mean when I was throwing to Smush?” Bryant responded, taking a shot at Smush Parker, his favorite punching bag. “I shot with three motherfuckers on me. That was the difference.” Fisher, who Bryant later called his favorite teammate, entered the league with Bryant in 1996 and won five championships as his backcourt mate. His greatest moment came in Game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference Semifinal when he hit a game-winning fadeaway off an inbounds pass with 0.4 on the clock.

Seasons: 1977–1983
Finals Appearances: 2
Championships: 2
Accolades: 1x All-Star
A 6-foot 2-inch point guard, Nixon was one of the premier playmakers of the late 1970s and early 1980s. He thrived in transition and had a killer mid-range game. But there was a bit of tension between him and Magic Johnson, who the Lakers drafted with the first overall pick in 1979, regarding ballhandling duties. The backcourt partnership bore two NBA championships but ran its course. Following the Lakers’ loss in the 1983 NBA Finals, general manager Jerry West shipped Nixon to basketball Siberia (down the coast to the San Diego Clippers), effectively handing the reins to Johnson.

Seasons: 1978–1990
Finals Appearances: 7
Championships: 5
Accolades: 1x Defensive Player of the Year
As great as Magic Johnson was, he had one limitation on the basketball court. He wasn’t a very good perimeter defender. Enter Michael Cooper. Lakers head coaches from Paul Westhead to Pat Riley were able to deploy Cooper opposite the opponent’s best scorer, allowing Johnson to float on defense and focus on rebounding and team defense. Larry Bird frequently cited Cooper, a five-time first team All-NBA defender, as one of his toughest foils.

Seasons: 1983–1993, 1996–97
Finals Appearances: 6
Championships: 3
Accolades: –
Byron Scott arrived in Los Angeles with a ton of pressure as Norm Nixon’s replacement in the backcourt. He was more than up for the assignment. Scott, an explosive finisher with one of the smoothest jumpers of the 1980s, was the perfect two-guard next to Magic Johnson, and an underrated defender. With 21.7 points per game, Byron led the 1987-88 championship team in scoring. That he never made an All-Star Game seems impossible.

Seasons: 1948–1955
Finals Appearances: 5
Championships: 5
Accolades: 4x All-Star
Nicknamed “The Kangaroo Kid,” Jim Pollard was known for his hops but he was also said to have a smooth jump shot and was considered a perfect fit next to Vern Mikkelsen and George Mikan in the Minneapolis Lakers’ frontcourt. He played all seven seasons with the Lakers and finished with career averages of 13 points and close to eight rebounds per game.

Seasons: 2019–2025
Finals Appearances: 1
Championships: 1
Accolades: 4x All-Star
The Lakers thought so much of Anthony Davis that they traded three young players (including recent high lottery picks Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram), three first round picks, and a swap to team LeBron James with the big man from Chicago. When healthy—which wasn’t often and eventually earned Davis the derisive “Street Clothes” nickname—he was an unstoppable force: a smart, rugged DPOY-caliber defender and a skilled scorer who could get a bucket in any number of ways. His performance in the Bubble, specifically against Nikola Jokic in the Western Conference Finals, proved that when healthy (there’s that caveat again), he could be the best big man in the game.

Seasons: 1949–1955
Finals Appearances: 5
Championships: 4
Accolades: 6x All-Star
At 6-foot 7-inches and 230 pounds, Mikkelsen was the Minneapolis Lakers’ muscle. He was a strong rebounder and often guarded the opponent’s strongest frontcourt scorer. Though the Lakers were no longer a contender following George Mikan’s early retirement, Mikkelsen was a steady presence, playing in 699 of 704 possible career games, and averaging close to a double-double (14.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game) over his 10-year career.

Seasons: 1968–1973
Finals Appearances: 4
Championships: 1
Accolades: 4x All-Star, 4x Rebounding Champ, 1x Finals MVP
Wilt the Stilt was already a legend by the time he arrived in Los Angeles to form a Big Three with Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. Though still dominant, Chamberlain sacrificed shots to West and Baylor (and later Gail Goodrich and Happy Hairston) for the good of the team as he anchored the team’s defense during their 1972 championship run.

Seasons: 1965–1968, 1970–1976
Finals Appearances: 4
Championships: 1
Accolades: 4x All-Star
With 69 wins, including a record 33 consecutive wins, the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers are considered one of the greatest teams of all time. But on a team composed of Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, and Elgin Baylor, the team’s leading scorer was a slight 6-foot 1-inch guard. Gail Goodrich averaged 25.9 points per game in 1971-72, the first of four consecutive seasons that he led the Lakers in scoring.

Seasons: 2008–2014
Finals Appearances: 3
Championships: 2
Accolades: 3x All-Star
From the moment the Lakers traded Shaquille O’Neal in the summer of 2004, the team was desperate to find a Robin to pair with its appointed Batman, Kobe Bryant. Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O’Neal, and Jason Kidd were rumored targets at one point or another. But, following a February 2008 trade with Memphis, Pau Gasol was tabbed for the role. A highly skilled big man, the Spaniard had immaculate touch around the rim, a sweet midrange jumper, and a high basketball IQ making him a perfect fit in the Lakers’ Traingle Offense, particularly when he entered Black Swan mode. His impact was immediate: four months after his arrival the Lakers made the NBA Finals. Eventually, they’d win back-to-back championships.

Seasons: 2018–Present
Finals Appearances: 1
Championships: 1
Accolades: 8x All-Star, 1x Finals MVP
The second best NBA player of all time is just the ninth best player in Lakers history? What gives? Lakers fans are spoiled babies that’s what. Sure, Bron’s tenure in Purple and Gold has had its unique highs (the Bubble Chip*; teaming with Bronny to form the NBA’s first father-son duo) and vexing lows—the Lakers have missed the playoffs twice, been swept in the playoffs twice, and let’s all memoryhole the Russell Westbrook Experiment. Don’t blame LeBron though, except maybe for that whole Westbrook thing. The King maintained an All-NBA level throughout his eight (and counting?) seasons in Los Angeles even as a man entering his 40s! No one has been this good for this long. Yet, for a certain fan base, he’ll never be a true Laker. He’ll never be Kobe. He’ll never be Magic. He’s just the guy with the one-title-every-eight-season average.

Seasons: 1958-1972
Finals Appearances: 8
Championships: 0
Accolades: 11x All-Star, Rookie of the Year
Perhaps the most underrated star in NBA history, Elgin Baylor’s numbers are staggering: During his 14-year career with the Lakers, Baylor averaged 27.4 points and 13.5 rebounds per game despite being undersized for a forward at 6-foot 5-inches. He was one of the first players to truly play above the rim and was one of the most unstoppable scorers of his era. Despite those accolades and accomplishments, Baylor never won an NBA Championship. He went 0-for-8 in the NBA Finals. Sadly, persistent knee injuries made him retire nine games into the 1971-72 season. Seven months later, the Lakers won their first championship since moving to Los Angeles.

Seasons: 1982–1994
Finals Appearances: 7
Championships: 3
Accolades: 7x All-Star, 1x Finals MVP
Big Game James wasn’t always Big Game James. In Game 2 of the 1984 NBA Finals against the hated Boston Celtics, Worthy, in his second season but his first playoffs (he broke his leg on the eve of the 1983 postseason), committed an egeregious turnover that lost the game for the Lakers and swung the series to the C’s. He would go on to redeem himself—and then some! Worthy was a prototype of a 1980s small forward. He had a quick first step, an elite post game, and good luck running the floor with him! But his greatest attribute was his clutch gene, hence the nickname. A career 17.6 points per game scorer, Worthy averaged 21.1 points over 30 playoff series. Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals was his masterpiece. Against a stout Detroit Pistons defense, Worthy dropped 36 points (on 15-of-22 shooting) 16 rebounds and 10 assists in the Lakers’ series’ clincher.

Seasons: 1948–1956
Finals Appearances: 5
Championships: 5
Accolades: 4x All-Star, 3x Scoring Champ, 2x Rebounding Champ
Mikan, a 6-foot 10-inch center from Joliet, Illinois, is recognized as the first true superstar in NBA history. Over six seasons with Minneapolis, he averaged 24 points and 14 rebounds per game, and led the Lakers to five BAA/NBA championships. In fact, he was so unstoppable that the NBA famously changed the rules to thwart his dominance, most notably widening the paint from 6-feet to 12-feet. But injuries were the only thing that could stop him. Mikan retired in 1954 and made a brief comeback a season later before transitioning to the front office.

Seasons: 1961–1974
Finals Appearances: 9
Championships: 1
Accolades: 14x All-Star, 1x Scoring Champ, 1x Finals MVP
Following his 14-year playing career with the team West was a Lakers’ scout, special consultant, head coach, general manager, and the architect of two dynasties: the Showtime era and the Kobe-Shaq team. The Logo spent close to four decades with the organization. But it all started on the court. Mr. Clutch was one of the greatest players in NBA history. On the offensive end, he could shoot, drive to the basket, and was an underrated playmaker. His competitiveness was unmatched and he finished his career with eight top-5 MVP finishes. If West had one hole in his resume, it’s that he went 1-8 against the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.

Seasons: 1996–2004
Finals Appearances: 4
Championships: 3
Accolades: 7x All-Star, 1x Scoring Champ, 3x Finals MVP
Sometimes, the truth hurts. The Kobe-Shaq Lakers were really the Shaq Lakers. Though it’s unsettled whether The Diesel would’ve won three straight NBA Championships with, say, Iverson, Vince Carter, or T-Mac as his number two, there’s no doubt he was the Bus Driver of the Lakers’ threepeat. (For the record, Shaq told me in 2011 he would’ve won three straight with any of those Hall of Famers.) Peak Shaq was The Most Dominant Ever. The three-time Finals MVP averaged 35 and 14 on 59 percent shooting across the 2000-02 Finals. His feud with Bryant was both petty and complicated. Their split was inevitable, yet tragic. Neither was completely at fault. But Lakers’ owner Jerry Buss and the majority of Lakers fans sided with the younger guy. Shaq went to Miami, while Kobe got to drive his own bus.

Seasons: 1975–1989
Finals Appearances: 8
Championships: 5
Accolades: 13x All-Star, 3x MVP, 1x Rebounding Champ, 1x Finals MVP
The Lakers were in a down period when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar arrived in Los Angeles during the summer of 1975 following a blockbuster trade with the Milwaukee Bucks. They’d won just 30 games in 1974-75, their lowest total since their final season in Minneapolis in 1960, and the roster was in shambles aside from Gail Goodrich. Cap immediately legitimized the Lakers, winning back-to-back MVPs. During his 14 seasons. Abdul-Jabbar transformed from an aloof superstar to a beloved veteran but one thing remained conssistent: his dominance on the court. Abdul-Jabbar was the best center of all time and possesed the most unstoppable offensive weapon in the game’s history: an unblockable skyhook that had almost unlimited range.

Seasons: 1996–2016
Finals Appearances: 7
Championships: 5
Accolades: 18x All-Star, 1x MVP, 2x Scoring Champ, 2x Finals MVP
It’s almost a miracle that Kobe Bean Bryant became a Laker, let alone was a Laker for life—20 seasons in Purple and Gold. The New Jersesy Nets wanted to select him in the 1996 NBA Draft. He could’ve been the odd man out in his epic power struggle with Shaq. He considered signing with the crosstown Clippers in 2004, then he requested a trade in 2007, listing the Bulls as his preferred destination. But he never left, of course, and the puckish rookie became the most beloved player in team history and the city’s favorite adopted son. What is there left to say about Bryant’s game? He was the most exciting player in the NBA and also the most competitive; the best two guard of all time not named Michael Jordan; and, most importantly, a five-time champ, which, as he gleefully noted, was one more than Shaq.

Seasons: 1979–1991, 1996
Finals Appearances: 9
Championships: 5
Accolades: 12x All-Star, 3x MVP, 4x Assist Champ, 3x Finals MVP
What makes Magic Johnson the best Laker in team history? His arrival marked the beginning of Showtime, an era that redefined the game of basketball, turned the franchise into a luxury brand, and resulted in five NBA championships and nine Finals appearances over a 12-year span. He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in assists. From 1983 to 1991, he notched nine consectutive top three MVP finishes, and he won the award in 1987, 1989, and 1990. It’s the unbridled joy and creativity he brought to the court—was there ever a more entertaining player than Magic? A more aesthetically pleasing team than the Showtime Lakers? His sudden retirement shocked and saddened the world though, in the end, he brought great awareness to the deadly scourge of HIV/AIDS, and his brief 1995 comeback was one for the ages. Shaq might be the most dominant. Kobe Bryant was the longest tenured on the court. Jerry West was there for four decades. But when it comes to impact, greatness, and results, it’s gotta be Magic.