The Los Angeles Lakers Players In Franchise History

The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most storied teams in NBA history. Even the logo itself is based on Laker hall of famer Jerry West.  Three notable players are not on this list Shaquille O'neal is not on this list because he is on the Orlando Magic list, Kobe Bryant is not on this list because he is a current player and Kareem Abdul Jabbar is not on this list because he is on the Milwaukee Bucks list.

The best point-guard was Magic Johnson. Johnson is the tallest point-guard in NBA history and during his career he has played in every position. Johnson averaged 20 points and 11 assists during his career and ushered in the "showtime" era of Lakers basketball alongside Kareem and James Worthy. Johnson utilized his size advantage to oversee the offense and get the ball to the open man. Worthy retired in 1991 after revealing he had HIV only to make a one season comeback in 1995.

The best shooting-guard was Gail Goodrich. Goodrich was one of best jump shooter in the late 60s and early 70s. Together Goodrich and West dominated opposing back courts. Goodrich averaged 19 points per game despite not being a great inside player. Goodrich was simply one of the most gifted scorers the NBA had, while his defense left a lot to desire due to his somewhat limited athletic ability.

The best small-forward was Jame Worthy. Worthy was the third part of the "Showtime" offense that featured Kareem and Johnson. Worthy had a great all-around game he could shoot from the outside, get to the basket, play in the post, defend, good rebounder and passer. However, what truly made his great was his play during clutch time. For example, in the 1988 NBA Finals game 7, Worthy posted the only triple-double of his career with 36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists to win the Finals MVP. Whenever the Lakers needed the extra boost at the end of game they looked to Worthy to win the game.

The best power-forward was Elgin Baylor. Baylor at 6'5" switched between playing small-forward and power-forward depending on the opposing teams lineup. Baylor was one of the most athletic players during his playing days and used that athletic ability to get to the basket, averaging 27 points and 14 rebounds per game. Despite a franchise that has boasted such great big men as O'neal, Wilt Chamberlan and Jabbar the player with the most rebound in franchise history remain Baylor at 6'5".

The best player in franchise history was center  Wilt Chamberlain. Chamberlain was dominant during his career. If you think Dwight Howard and O'neal are dominant they are nothing compared to Wilt Chamberlain. For his career, Chamberlain averaged 30 points and 22 rebounds per game. Before he became a Laker he was criticized as a selfish player, in response during the 1967-68 season he became the first center to ever lead the NBA in assists. He is the only player to score 100 points in one game and is still the NBA leader in rebounds and is fourth all-time in points, including the 1961-62 season in which he averaged 50 points per game. The only criticism against Chamberlain is that he only won two titles during his career, but that was mostly due to the teammate around Chamberlain as opposed to Chamberlain himself.