Best Los Angeles Lakers Players

The Top Ten
1 Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant (1978 - 2020) was an American retired professional basketball player. He played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. Kobe Bryant has won 5 NBA championships with the Lakers and was the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history. He Retired in 2016. He died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California at age 41.

Kobe Bean Bryant, 18 time NBA All-Star, 5 NBA Championship rings, 5-2 record in the NBA Finals, 2008 NBA MVP winner, 4 time NBA All-Star MVP winner in 2002, 2007, 2009, & 2011, 1997 slam dunk competition winner, Lakers all-time lead scorer with 33,643 points, career average of 25 points per game. There is no doubt that Kobe Bryant is an undisputed all time Top 5 L.A. Laker. anybody who would dare say otherwise is a delusional toxic LeBron fan.

Kobe is the most talented Laker ever by far. When I think of greatest Laker the first thing that comes to mind is skill set. Kobe has the greatest footwork in nba history, his post play and fadeaways are unmatched at the SG position since Jordan. Even in his mid thirties, with arthritis Kobe constantly evolves his game and remains a top scorer in the league. Most players dwindle after they lose their freakish athletiscm but not Kobe. Infact I doubt anyone can name a player that remained top 5 in scoring by their mid 30s. Factor in Kobes playoff games and youll see he has more miles on him then any player right now but still remains on top based on pure skill.

Most commonly argued player to be greater than Jordan that could actually do a lot of what Jordan did and some things Jordan couldn't.

Comparing Russell, Kareem, Magic to Jordan is like talking about a sports car vs a Harley. Two different beasts. Jordan and Kobe both played similarly and there is actually a debate about who is better. No other player with a simlar style will ever be regarded as closely as Kobe has to Jordan. Kobe is number 2 all time, only to the original. MJ

Not a ball hog. Period. He averages more assists than Durant, my goodness. 81-point game. Career high assists is 15 and had 14 twice. Youngest to 30,000. 12 threes made in a game. Highest score at the Rose Garden by an opponent and Madison Square Garden, two tough places to play at. Made two free throws off an Achilles injury. If someone asks you who's better Kobe or Jordan I hope you get your facts right.

2 Magic Johnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association for 13 seasons.

Outside of being the All- star game MVP despite having HIV. Outside of his miracle shots. Having a triple-double at have time. Outside of getting those rebounds. Outside of making no-look passes. Outside of being one of the 50 Greatest. Outside of winning championships. Outside of being at least one of the 20 greatest. He was the greatest ever. Look at his accomplishments and comparing that to Michael. The only one to have the Finals MVP as a rookie. Don't see it? I hope you are understanding me, really.

The All-Time leader in Assists Per Game could also be the best NBA player of all time because of his ability to score, pass and rebound so yes he is one of the greatest all round NBA players ever and I'd like to see how Kobe Bryant would go up against Larry Bird, Michael Jordan in his prime, Julius Erving, CHARLES BARKLEY so that's why Kobe isn't top three.

Magic and bird were the nba without these two the nba might not have made it. Kobe maybe the second coming of michael jordan but magic made the lakers of the 80's awesome. ClaSSY GUY who made the rest of the nba want to beat him! Being a boston/bird fan there was nothing like a bird/magic match up on sunday with dick stockton calling the game.

REALLY Kobe ahead Magic that's just crazy! Magic Johnson is a better passer 1 point Magic. Kobe is a better scoring, but that doesn't me Magic not a good scorer. Magic Johnson is a better rebounder. Magic is a better stealer, and overall defender. Magic Johnson has also won 5 chapionships and one of them on rookie year, and was Finals MVP! Magic the BEST LAKER EVER.

3 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is an American retired professional basketball player who played 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association for the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers.

Kareem was consistently the top center in the leauge during an Era where there were many great centers...for that matter the best player. He was a dominant player until ahead 39 when Pat Riley cha gedanken the offense to be more Magic Johnson/ James Worthy oriented (not complaining was the reason for titles in 1987 and 1988). At age 42, also poured in 26 points in game 3 of the Finals to keep the Lakers in the game. The greatest Laker, and greatest player (sorry MJ) ever

Kareem abdul Jabbar is not only the the #1 Laker, he is the #1 NBA player of all times. He has 6 MVP's, 6 championships. 5 with LA, and more points than any other Laker or player in the NBA. He always stayed in great shape. No real injuries that put him out of the season. Unlike Kobie or Magic. The "sky hook" was the single most unstoppable weapon in sports history.

Throughout KAJ's career not just with the Lakers he racked up the most All-Star selections, All-NBA selections, points, regular season MVP awards and double digit years with LA that can't be overlooked for two things that every body wants in a guy dominance pure pure dominance and that is Kareem for you, you never know what he pulls out of his pocket whether it is a break away dunk or a crisp clean sky hook.

All time NBA leading scorer. Unstoppable skyhook. Shot blocker. Rebounder. Most underrated player of all time for sure. For sure. Super underrated.

4 Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal, nicknamed Shaq, is a retired American professional basketball player who is currently an analyst on the television program Inside the NBA. He is known for his fun, friendly personality, and is one of the most beloved athletes of all time.

Some mention Kareem here. I mention Shaq here. 2, 3, 4, 5 feet into the paint he is pretty unstoppable. He pretty much does everything a center should do. Rebound, block shots, etc. His problem is his jumper and shooting free throws but don't centers give you that? You already signed shooters in Horry, Kobe, Fox, and Fisher. Only some are shooting centers in Dirk and JJ Hickson. Shaq is not one of them..

Shaq is totally better than Kobe Bryant. Bryant just touches the ball gets it in. He's only good at shooting. Well, SHAQ averages better than Kobe Bryant and he gets the most rebounds. Look at his body. He's 136kg and 216cm. Kobe doesn't have 2m

Shaq is definitely the best player on the Lakers. Better than all of them.

Shaquille O'neal is off the hook! He rocks

5 Wilt Chamberlain Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American basketball player. He was born on August 21, 1936 in Philadelphia and died on October 12, 1999 in Los Angeles due to heart failure. ...read more.

Mr. 100 On the Lakers wasn't as good on the Lakers compared to the Warriors and the 76ers versions of himself. He was playing with Jerry West, Gail Goodrich, And Elgin Baylor on the Lakers. He won a championship in 1972, An Insanely good player for that team.

Rest in peace to him. He scored more 50 point games than MJ and he was more than a scorer. People thought he was a ball hog and than he said he going to lead this league in assists one year. He did. Shot blocker and he got rebounds for the teams he played for and was a part of the that 33-game win streak. Once again, rest in peace.

Damn he changed the game literally over nite.
I dare you to Google this guy he was a true freak
And the NBA was not ready for him yet.
Shortly before his death he had completed a 26 mile marathon while in his
50s. 100 point in a game of pro NBA players, I mean Damn what more can I say.

Wilt suffered the worst knee injury of his career during his second Laker season, missed most of the rest of the year, and was never the same again offensively. However, upon return, super-muscular 315-pound Wilt was the strongest NBA player ever [yes stronger than Shaq], and that Wilt was still the best rebounder and shotblocker in NBA history. That older&wiser Wilt was part of the 33-game win streak. That Wilt was the Finals MVP with a broken wrist.

6 Jerry West Jerry Alan West is an American retired basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association.

Sorry but all I have to say is, one he won MVP for the finals on the losing team, and brought his single all-star team to 9 championships against an OP Celtics team, PERIOD. Other than his playing what he did when he was a GM is one of the greatest moves of all-time. Bringing Shaq and Kobe for 3 rings and winning 1 of his own he brought 25% of the Lakers rings to LA. Just look at the NBA logo. GREATEST ALL-TIME LAKER & PLAYER

I'm not even a Lakers fan and The Logo earned my respect. I want to see Kobe make a full-court shot in the last seconds of the FINALS! I want to see Kobe lead the league in assists and make it to the Finals 9 times. That's why Jerry West should be higher than Kobe.

His commitment as a player for the Lakers and making the All Star team for an amazing 14 years. Then as Laker coach and general manager. I would call that A lifetime career of Love and Dedication!

9 NBA FINALS. Because of this man you have a Laker Celtics rivalry and not Celtics vs who ever wins the west rivalry.

Should be top 3! It's a toss up for West and Kareem or Magic. Kobe is number 1 for sure.

7 Elgin Baylor

He scored 71 points in a game once the 2nd Lakers record in scoring. He also was a good defender and rebounder.

Elgin Baylor is the best from this list period. He made what the Los Angeles Lakers are today!

Elgin Baylor was a very good player with Jerry West. I hope that he rests in peace.

8 LeBron James LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. LeBron has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and the Lakers.

What has he accomplished on The Lakers? I'll wait...

Widely considered the 3rd best player in the NBA.

He should be No. 1 not only lakers but of all TIME

They need to update his description. It says he plays for the Cavs but he a laker now

9 James Worthy James Ager Worthy is an American sports commentator, television host, analyst, and former professional basketball player.

He dunked like the statue of liberty. And, he was a Finals MVP and number one draft pick. The Lakers would not have 16 if they did not draft him.

10 Derek Fisher

He arrived to LA on a team with 2 legendary stars Shaq and kobe Bryant, even as a reserve, he contributed to the success of 3 NBA Titles and the 0.4 shot would eventually be his hallmark moment
Its Joeysworld

My favorite player of all time. Widely under appreciated and under valued. Best cluch of all time.

Greatest player ever and not acknowledged.

The Contenders
11 George Mikan George Lawrence Mikan Jr., nicknamed Mr. Basketball, was an American professional basketball player for the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League and the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL, the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball Association.

George Mikan utterly changed the way "big men" played the Center position. Top 5, for sure. Rating Mikan as #11 is a result of people thinking in the short term. My top 5: Magic, Kareem, Jerry West, Kobe, George Mikan.

George Mikan was one of the NBA's first big stars and the Lakers should be glad to have him as part of their history. George Mikan led the Lakers to four out of five championships.

He is another one that passed great and was a great post player. Rest in Peace he passed away about 13, 14 years ago. The first Lakers and NBA star.

He is the first NBA star. He is one of the pioneers of the NBA, and was the most dominant player anybody from that era had seen

12 Pau Gasol Pau Gasol Sáez is a Spanish professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association.

One of the most dominant big man to ever play with the lakers.

I guess he was more dominant than Lamar Odom.

Should be ahead of LeBron.

Pau Gasol was an amazing defender he was an amazing Laker and I loved seeing him play

13 Danny Green Daniel Richard Green Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association.
14 Byron Scott

People forget that Byron Scott was the leading scorer for the Lakers the 1987-88 championship season. He averaged 21 points a game - that was more than Magic, Worthy or Kareem!

I very much agree with you that byron is good but I think Kobe is my favorite I like Kobe a lot and I look up to him a lot!

Kobe's the best... but Byron is my favorite Laker of all time.

15 A.C. Green
16 Dwight Howard Dwight David Howard is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association.

Dwight Howard Superman he is an amazing player in amazing in offense plays in defence

17 Alex Caruso
18 Anthony Davis Anthony Marshon Davis Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association.

He will be a god in LA

19 Karl Malone Karl Anthony Malone is an American retired professional basketball player. Nicknamed "The MailMan", Malone played the power forward position and spent his first 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association with the Utah Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate John Stockton.

He stunk as a laker

20 DeMarcus Cousins DeMarcus Amir Cousins is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association.
21 Michael Cooper

Much like Magic, the Showtime Lakers don't win without Coop. Number 16? Behind Steve Nash? No way! A threat and a team player on both sides of the ball. A three position spark plug. Larry Bird once stated when he worked out in the summer he thought of Michael Cooper. enough SAID!

Behind Nash as a Laker?
Behind Malone as a Laker?
Those two did exactly what for/as Lakers?

22 Gail Goodrich
23 Rajon Rondo Rajon Pierre Rondo is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association.
24 Steve Nash Stephen John Nash, is a Canadian retired professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association.
25 Isaiah Thomas Isaiah Jamar Thomas is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association.
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