10 Greatest Los Angeles Lakers Players Ranked by Fans

The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most-storied franchises in the National Basketball Association. Long-regarded as an iconic franchise, only the Boston Celtics, LA’s arch-rival, have won more than the 17 NBA Championships won by the Staples Center side and the Lakers have, over the years, had a a wide array of stellar talents.

At the time of writing, the Lakers are preparing for what will be JJ Redick’s second season as their head coach. The 2025/26 campaign will also mark the first full season of Luka Doncic in LA.

The Slovenian superstar was sent there from Dallas for Anthony Davis in perhaps the most-discussed trade of all time and will play alongside all-time great LeBron James. The forward will turn 41 next season and whilst he has naturally slowed down slightly with age, James remains one of the best players in the league, a testament to his staggering longevity.

With the presence of James and Doncic alone, the Lakers will be expected to push for the Larry O’Brien Trophy, as has been the case for most of the franchise’s history. With this aim, it is no surprise that the Lakers have had some truly incredible talents over the years. Which 10 however, according to Ranker, are the best of all time in the opinion of the fans?

10

George Mikan

Despite having a career that, at 10 years in length, would be viewed as relatively short, George Mikan is, as said by Ranker, “widely regarded as the NBA’s first superstar.” The center spent one season in Chicago before joining the Lakers who, in 1947, were based in Minneapolis.

Across seven years with the Lakers, Mikan won five league championships, being the focal point of what was the NBA’s first dynasty. Three of these triumphs came in successive years between 1952 and 1954 and such was Mikan’s dominance in the game, that the NBA altered numerous rules as a result.

Commonly known as “Mr. Basketball,” Mikan’s impact on the Lakers was further recognised by the franchise when, in 2022, they retired the big man’s number 99.

9

LeBron James

Only Michael Jordan can be argued to be a better player than LeBron James, with the pair almost universally regarded as a cut above the rest. As aforementioned, James is gearing up for another season in LA, having been with the franchise since 2018 following a second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In the COVID-19-impacted 2019/20 campaign, James guided the Lakers to what remains their latest championship, which was the fourth of his career. The all-time top scorer in NBA history, James helped return LA to the very top of the league after the franchise struggled for a couple of seasons in the aftermath of Kobe Bryant’s retirement.

Though he has been playing now for over two decades in the NBA, James has shown only minimal signs of declining with age and remains a major asset in the immediate future of the Lakers.

8

James Worthy

Drafted first in the 1982 draft, James Worthy spent his entire 12-year career in the NBA with the Lakers. The small forward would immediately become a vital part of the starting five as the franchise were in the midst of their “Showtime” era, a team that captivated audiences with their fast and direct brand of basketball.

Worthy won three championships in purple and yellow, playing a key role in each triumph and even being named the Finals MVP in 1988. Known as “Big Game James,” Worthy was renowned for being able to crank up the gears in important matches, shining for the Lakers even alongside other star players.

Named to both the 50th and 75th NBA anniversary teams, Worthy retired in 1994, going on to see his number 42 raised into the Lakers rafters as a testament to his accomplishments.

7

Elgin Baylor

Titles are often used as a metric for player talent in the NBA, as surely the best are able to guide their franchise to lifting the Larry O’Brien trophy. Though Elgin Baylor won no trophies with the Lakers, either in Minneapolis or Los Angeles, the small forward enjoyed a stellar career, being named to the All-Star team 11 times in a 13-year span.

With the most rebounds of any Laker in history, Baylor was a dominant force from the moment he was drafted first overall in the 1958 NBA Draft. Particularly in the early-to-mid-1960s, the number 22 was one of the league’s most-dominant talents, reaching the NBA Finals eight times across his career.

Injury ultimately forced Baylor to retire in 1971 and in a cruel twist of fate, the Lakers won a title the very next year. It was clear, though, that Baylor’s impact ensured the franchise were in a position to lift the coveted Larry O’Brien trophy.

6

Wilt Chamberlain

If there is an NBA record in the books, it would be safe to assume that Wilt Chamberlain is the name that holds it. A former Harlem Globetrotter, Chamberlain has long been an NBA icon, be it for his 100-point game, his staggering scoring numbers for most of his career or the general dominance he had in the NBA in a 14-year career.

After six years with the Golden State Warriors, then based in first Philadelphia and then San Francisco, and three years with the Philadelphia 76ers, Chamberlain became a Laker in 1968 and spent his remaining five years as a player on the West Coast. An older player, Chamberlain’s style, by then, was perfect for the Lakers, the center having become more team-oriented than in his younger years.

Chamberlain was named Finals MVP for the first and only time in 1972, having helped the Lakers win their first title in over 20 years.

5

Jerry West

Few players have an impact on the NBA as sizable as Jerry West, who was used as the basis for the league’s current logo. A point guard, West was a key part of the Lakers starting five for his 14-year career which began in 1960. Like the aforementioned Baylor, however, West struggled to win a ring for the bulk of his playing days.

Despite consistent brilliance from the franchise and repeatedly making the NBA Finals, West won just one NBA championship, coming in 1972 after he helped the Lakers record an unprecedented winning streak in that season. “Mr Clutch,” as the nickname would suggest, was known for stepping up in the big moments.

At the time of writing, West remains the only player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP despite being on the losing side. By ensuring that the Lakers ended their trophy drought in the early 70s, West helped set the foundations for more successful sides that would follow his own.

4

Shaquille O’Neal

At his peak, Shaquille O’Neal was perhaps the most physically imposing player in NBA history. The big man was drafted by the Orlando Magic in 1992 and after four years in Florida, helping the franchise reach the NBA Finals, O’Neal signed with the Lakers as a free agent in 1996.

O’Neal joined in the same year that the Lakers drafted a certain Kobe Bryant and the two would go onto form an immensely successful partnership. Coached by Phil Jackson, Shaq played a crucial role as the Lakers won three successive championships between 2000 and 2002.

In 2004, O’Neal, having had disputes over his contract, departed the Lakers, but did so with his legacy firmly established at the Staples Center in the eyes of the fans.

3

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

LeBron James is the only player in NBA history to have recorded more points than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The big man spent the first six seasons of his 20-year career in Milwaukee, helping the Bucks to a Championship in 1971 and ultimately joining the Lakers in 1975, where he would play for 14 further years.

Famed for his almost unguardable skyhook shot, Abdul-Jabbar was a feared scorer for the entirety of his playing career. A veteran by the “Showtime” era of Lakers basketball, Abdul-Jabbar was the cornerstone of Pat Riley’s side and their attacking exploits, winning five further NBA titles in purple and gold.

A six-time Most Valuable Player, Abdul-Jabbar remains regarded as one of the greatest players in Lakers history, almost 40 years after he brought his career to an end.

2

Magic Johnson

Credit: © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

If Abdul-Jabbar was one of the two talents to carry the Showtime Lakers on his back, then the other was, without doubt, Magic Johnson. Standing close to seven feet tall, Johnson’s frame made him a natural threat amongst smaller point guards, something only emphasised by his stellar passing range and ability to score.

In the 1980s, Lakers offence was entirely focused on pace in transition, for which Johnson was pivotal. His rivalry with Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics throughout the decade was the main focus of the league, a battle in which Johnson had the edge, winning five NBA titles between 1980 and 1988.

Forced to retire, for the first time at least, in 1991 after contracting HIV, Johnson’s career was abruptly ended in unfortunate circumstances, but the guard had done more than enough to ensure he would be remembered by the Lakers faithful.

1

Kobe Bryant

Two numbers hang in the Staples Center rafters to honour the career of Kobe Bryant, a feat achieved by no other player in history. Landing in LA after the 1996 NBA Draft, Bryant spent two decades with the franchise, coming into the league straight from high school. The shooting guard quickly became one of the NBA’s most-exciting players to watch.

Bryant’s partnership with Shaquille O’Neal won the Lakers three championships, but the pair were never too far from tension in the years up until O’Neal’s departure in 2004. As Bryant aged, he became more team-oriented than he was in his earlier career, maturing into the veteran that his team needed and winning two further championships in 2009 and 2010.

Not including the final few years of his career, Bryant avoided major injury, with his availability only contributing to the work that ensured he would be remembered as, in the opinion of those who support the franchise, the greatest Laker of all time.