10 Los Angeles Lakers Legends Who Could Make Top-75 Players List

The list of top-75 players of all time is a tough one to complete because there have been so many superstars playing in many different eras. While the top-20 and even the top-30 players are easy to include, it gets very difficult to name the rest. That is because superstar players can dominate multiple areas of the floor and analyzing their skills in the respective eras can be tricky.

Nonetheless, we have compiled a list of past, present, and future Los Angeles Lakers players that should crack the top-75 list. The Lakers are one of the most storied franchises in NBA history having seen some of the greatest players play for them. That is why we have selected 10 Hall of Famers that play or have played for the Lakers as shoo-ins for the top-75 list, and another 4 that have great shots at retiring as all-time players. Without further ado, here are the greatest players that have played for the Lakers and their status as top-75 stars.

Certain Inclusions

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant is among the top-10 players to ever play in the game, let alone a top-75 talent in the game. The Black Mamba was the closest thing to Michael Jordan and was the greatest Laker ever in terms of dominance and longevity.

Playing 20 seasons for the Purple and Gold and giving countless memories to Lakers fans is what Kobe lived for. 5 NBA championships, 2 Finals MVPs, and the 2008 MVP make Bryant an easy inclusion in the top-75 list as a Laker.

Magic Johnson

Alongside Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson is recognized as the greatest Laker of all time. The legendary point guard might be the greatest leader and floor general at the point guard spot because he made everyone around him better.

Of course, Magic was a winner and Laker Nation loves winners. The 6’9″ point guard won 5 championships, 3 Finals MVPs, 3 MVPs, and made 12 All-Star Teams with the Lakers. Johnson might also be a top-10 player of all time and is an automatic inclusion.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

The only player to actually have a shot at competing with Michael Jordan as the GOAT, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the most dominant center ever in terms of longevity and success. With the Lakers, Kareem won 5 championships and a Finals MVP award.

The big man also had the most unstoppable shot in NBA history in the skyhook and was the leading scorer for the Lakers for 11 straight years from 1976-1986. Abdul-Jabbar is another shoo-in for the top-75 players and is also regarded as a top-10 player ever.

Shaquille O’Neal

The most dominant force in modern history, Shaquille O’Neal was at his best with the Los Angeles Lakers. Winning 3 championships and 3 Finals MVPs in a row, Diesel was unstoppable as a paint presence and created a dynasty with Kobe Bryant.

O’Neal played for many franchises including the Magic, Heat, and Cavaliers but he will always be remembered as a superstar with the Lakers. Just like the 3 players above him, O’Neal is among the 10 greatest players ever and is an easy inclusion.

Wilt Chamberlain

The player who owns the majority of NBA records, Chamberlain is another player who is among the top-10 players of all time. Wilt averaged a career 30.1 PPG and 22.9 RPG and broke a ton of records throughout his career with the Warriors and Lakers.

But Chamberlain is mainly remembered as a Laker because he won his first Finals MVP and second title with the franchise. Wilt is truly one of a kind and is without a doubt a top-75 player ever. Even if the center played the majority of his career as the most dominant physical specimen in the game, his talent is undeniable.

Jerry West

The NBA’s logo, Jerry West is one of the best shooting guards of all time. The Hall of Famer spent his entire career with the Lakers, winning an NBA title and making 14 All-Star Teams in his 14 seasons. West also held career averages of 27.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 6.7 APG.

Another no-brainer as a top-75 player, West is one of the best Lakers in NBA history. The scoring and playmaking guard was also known as Mr. Clutch, and that attribute made him one of the most feared players in crunch time ever. The fact that West is a top-5 shooting guard makes him another certain inclusion.

LeBron James

The King has only been a Laker for 3 years, but winning a championship and a Finals MVP already places him among the all-time Lakers list. James led the Lakers to a dominant playoff run 2 seasons ago in The Bubble and continues to be the best all-around player in the league at age 36.

LeBron is also the greatest small forward ever, making him a top-10 player of all time with ease. It is amazing how many top-10 players the Lakers have had, and James is yet another all-time great who will represent the Lakers organization as a top-75 player.

Elgin Baylor

Elgin Baylor might be the best player to have never won an NBA title because he accomplished everything else in the game. Baylor won Rookie of the Year and made 11 All-Star Teams over his career. Of course, he is one of the best forwards ever due to his sensational scoring and rebounding ability.

Baylor holds career averages of 27.4 PPG and 13.5 RPG while playing 40.0 MPG over his career. “The Big Hurt” took a lot of shots to get his points and dominated the boards, making him an incredibly confident superstar. If Baylor played on more championship teams, he would have been ranked higher on the all-time list but he is still top-75 with ease.

James Worthy

“Big Game” James Worthy is the epitome of a star player who plays best in big games. Winning a Finals MVP and 3 championships with the Lakers, the small forward made 7 All-Star Teams as a member of the Purple and Gold. Playing alongside Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar certainly didn’t hurt his career either.

Worthy makes the top-75 list of all-time players because he always showed up in the biggest games, and was a winner at the highest level. The All-Star forward only played until the age of 32, but he is a shoo-in as a top-75 player ever to represent the Lakers.

Steve Nash

While it is true that Steve Nash was way past his prime when he was a Los Angeles Laker, he still represents the franchise as a top-75 player of all time. The 2-time MVP was a spectacular shooting and passing point guard and was unstoppable as an offensive maestro.

His Phoenix Suns teams were incredibly dominant and it was Nash who spearheaded the groundbreaking offense run by Mike D’Antoni. Nash played for the Lakers when he was 38 and 39 years old, but he still had excellent streaks of games where he showed glimpses of his former self as a top-75 player ever.

Debatable Inclusions

Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis is a special talent and will likely retire as one of the greatest players to have ever played his position. But as of right now, his inclusion as a top-75 player is debatable. Davis won an NBA championship with the Lakers, but he has a long way to go to solidify himself among the best Lakers ever.

Anthony Davis has averages of 24.5 PPG and 8.8 RPG to go along with 2.1 BPG and has a chance to win more NBA titles with the Lake Show. Playing with LeBron James and Russell Westbrook will give him a chance to enter the top-75 list of players of all time.

Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard was a superstar in his prime, as the 3-time Defensive Player of the Year dominated the paint during his time with the Orlando Magic. Due to his greatness as a defensive specialist, he will likely make the Hall of Fame and has a chance to retire as a top-75 player ever. Of course, the big man had 2 separate stints with the Lakers.

The first one saw Howard make the All-Star Team averaging 17.1 PPG and 12.4 RPG, but he would have team success in his second stint when he was a backup player and won his first NBA championship. Dwight will have his 3rd stint with the team coming up and has a chance to win an NBA title once again.

Pau Gasol

Pau Gasol is one of the most beloved Lakers ever because he was the missing piece for Kobe Bryant and the Lakers during the 2009 and 2010 championship seasons. Gasol thrived as Kobe Bryant’s sidekick, allowing the shooting guard to lead the team and playing off him as perfectly as possible. Bryant would have probably named Gasol as his favorite teammate to play with because of that fact.

Gasol averaged 17.7 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 1.4 BPG during his 7 seasons with the Purple and Gold. But otherwise, Gasol had stints as a superstar player. The big man made a total of 6 All-Star Teams and 4 All-NBA Teams over his Hall of Fame career and is one of the best Grizzlies players ever. He has a shot at making the top-75 list, but it will be tough for him to get in there.

Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook is a first-ballot Hall of Famer because averaging a triple-double for 4 seasons along with an MVP and 9 All-Star Teams match that criteria. Westbrook is also the most athletic point guard in NBA history and has a long history of destroying defenses with his explosiveness and leaping ability.

Westbrook will also play his first season with the Lakers and has his best chance at winning a title since 2012. The point guard does a ton of things well on the court, although an NBA championship would take his career to another level and will likely place him among the top-75 with ease. Until then, Russ is still a debatable inclusion.

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