Tim Hardaway spoke about LeBron James‘ place on the list of the greatest Los Angeles Lakers players in NBA history during an appearance on Gil’s Arena show. He noted that LeBron James deserves to be on the list of the greatest Lakers players ever, but isn’t going to make the top five on that list. When facing some pushback, Hardaway reminded the panels of the greats that have worn a Lakers jersey.
“He played five-six years for them. We’re not going to discount LeBron. LeBron is up there. He’s not top five as Laker. Hell no! Next time you go in that arena, look up there.”
On one hand, you can see where Hardaway is coming from. The Los Angeles Lakers have had several iconic players represent them over the years and bring championship glory to the franchise. Names like Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant all become era-defining superstars while donning the purple and gold.
As things stand, LeBron James hasn’t matched the impact or the accolades of any of those players while playing for the Lakers, at least according to Hardaway. LeBron James is one of, if not the greatest player in the history of the sport. But he has only won one NBA championship, Finals MVP, and the inaugural in-season tournament during his time with the franchise.
Hardaway is not the only player to claim LeBron isn’t a top-five Laker of all time. Another Lakers legend, James Worthy, named his list, and LeBron was conspicuous by his absence on that list too.
Fans need to remember an important distinction when it comes to this discussion. We are not talking about the greatest players to ever play for the Lakers. If that was the case, LeBron would easily be on the top five in that list, if not be at the top spot himself.
The discussion is surrounding the greatest Lakers of all time, meaning that we are considering the players who brought the most success to the franchise and changed things for them like no one else had.
We here at Fadeaway World put together a list of the 10 greatest Lakers players of all time. On the Lakers’ GOAT pyramid that we designed, James misses out on the top spot simply because he doesn’t have the accolades in a Lakers uniform to match up.
LeBron helped end a 10-year drought for the Lakers by winning the 2020 NBA championship. So his place among the greats in Lakers history is secure. In fact, just recently, James also moved into 10th place on the Lakers’ all-time scoring charts, usurping Jamaal Wilkes, who had 10,601 points compared to James’ 10,629 points in a Lakers jersey.
Speaking of scoring, James did make history as a Laker in 2023, when he surpassed fellow Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. That was a historic moment that few will forget, and it happened on the hallowed home court of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Perhaps if LeBron James wins another NBA championship with the Lakers, he can earn a spot in the top five. The arrival of Luka Doncic certainly gives him a strong chance to do so before he retires from the NBA. But as things stand, LeBron will be remembered as a great Lakers star, but someone who didn’t move the needle quite like West, Kareem, Magic, or Kobe did during their historic stints with the team.
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