The L.A. Lakers were officially founded in 1946, though they were not yet known by that name. The franchise began as the Detroit Gems but a year later, the team moved to Minneapolis and adopted the Lakers name, beginning what would become one of the most successful organizations not only in the NBA but in the broader world of professional sports.

Over the course of their history, the Lakers have captured 17 NBA championships. That total sits just one behind the Boston Celtics for the most in league history, while they have also reached the most NBA finals. Their latest title came during the 2019–20 season.

Many of basketball’s greatest players have suited up for the Lakers throughout the decades. In total, more than 30 former Lakers players and coaches have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Deciding the top 12 players to represent the Lakers was therefore no simple task, and some greats such as Gail Goodrich, Michael Cooper, Jamaal Wilkes and Vern Mikkelsen unfortunately missed out on a place.

But here’s a look at the all-time top 12.

12 Anthony Davis

When the Lakers sent Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first-round picks to the New Orleans Pelicans for Anthony Davis in 2019, they did it with one goal in mind – and he delivered it in his first season.

Davis was dominant in 2019-20, earning All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team honours, and hit a buzzer-beating three to win Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets on the way to the franchise’s 17th title.

Injuries interrupted his middle years in L.A., but he bounced back to help the Lakers win the inaugural In-Season Tournament in 2023 and earn All-NBA Second Team honours that season. A four-time All-Star as a Laker, Davis was then the centrepiece of the stunning February 2025 trade that brought Luka Dončić to Los Angeles.

Lakers Highlights

• 2020 Champion
• 2023 In-Season Tournament Champion
• 2020 All-NBA First Team

11 Pau Gasol

Few mid-season trades have changed a franchise like the one that brought Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies in February 2008. Kobe Bryant finally had the co-star he had been missing since Shaquille O’Neal’s departure, and the Lakers reached the next three NBA Finals.

After losing to the Celtics in 2008, they won back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010 – the second in a Game 7 revenge win over Boston. Gasol’s footwork, passing and soft touch made him the perfect partner for Kobe, and he was an All-Star and All-NBA selection in three straight seasons from 2009 to 2011.

One quirk of the deal: among the pieces the Lakers sent to Memphis were the rights to his younger brother, Marc, who went on to become a Defensive Player of the Year. The Lakers retired Pau’s No. 16 in 2023, the same year he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Lakers Highlights

• 2009, 2010 Champion
• No. 16 retired in 2023
• Hall of Fame Class of 2023

10 Wilt Chamberlain

Although most of his success came with the Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers, Wilt Chamberlain was still a dominant player during his time with the Lakers.

Chamberlain was traded to the Lakers from the 76ers in 1968. Although he was not as dominant of a player as fans saw during the beginning of his career, Chamberlain still dominated on both ends of the floor.

He spent the final five seasons of his career in L.A., averaging 17.7 points and 19.2 rebounds. In 1971-72, he helped lead the Lakers to a championship, and was named Finals MVP. He was also a four-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive selection as a Laker, and earned All-NBA honours in that 1971-72 title season.

Chamberlain left for the ABA’s San Diego Conquistadors as player-coach in 1973, but a legal dispute with the Lakers restricted him to coaching, and he never played again. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979, capping off one of the most dominant careers in NBA history.

Lakers Highlights

• 1972 Champion
• 1972 Finals MVP
• Hall of Fame Class of 1979

9 George Mikan

George Mikan was the original NBA superstar. He was a pioneer of professional basketball that redefined the big man with his rebounding, shot-blocking and shooting skills. He was so dominant that the league widened the lane from six to 12 feet in 1951, a change widely known as the “Mikan Rule”.

After winning the 1947 NBL title with the Chicago American Gears, Mikan joined the then-Minneapolis Lakers later that year when the Gears’ breakaway league collapsed. He quickly became the face of the franchise and of the NBA thanks to his domination on the court.

He played seven seasons in the NBA, all with the Lakers. Over those seven seasons, he averaged 23.1 points and 13.4 rebounds. He also led the Lakers to their first five championships in the franchise’s history. He was also a four-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA selection.

Mikan also won three straight scoring titles from 1948-49 to 1950-51, topping out at 28.4 points per game in 1950-51. In 1959, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

After retiring, he became one of the founders and commissioner of the ABA.

Lakers Highlights

• 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954 Champion
• Hall of Fame Class of 1959

8 James Worthy

After dominating alongside Michael Jordan at the University of North Carolina, the Lakers selected James Worthy first overall in the 1982 draft. He immediately made an impact and was a perfect fit next to Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in his rookie season, finishing third in the Rookie of the Year race.

In his third season, he helped lead the Lakers to a championship, the first of three titles he would win during his 12 years with the franchise.

Over those 12 seasons, Worthy averaged 17.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He was a three-time champion, including winning the 1987-88 Finals MVP award. He was also a seven-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection. In 2003, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Lakers Highlights

• 1985, 1987, 1988 Champion
• 1988 Finals MVP
• Hall of Fame Class of 2003

7 Elgin Baylor

Over his 14 seasons with the Lakers, Baylor averaged 27.4 points and 13.5 rebounds per game. That includes his 71-point game in 1960, which was an NBA record at the time, and his 61 points in Game 5 of the 1962 Finals, which remains the most ever scored in a Finals game. He was an 11-time All-Star and 10-time All-NBA selection. In 1977, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Cruelly, Baylor retired just nine games into the 1971-72 season – the year the Lakers finally won their first title in Los Angeles.

Lakers Highlights

• 11-time All Star
• 1959 Rookie of the Year
• Hall of Fame Class of 1977

6 Jerry West

After being selected second overall by the Lakers in the 1960 draft, it did not take long for Jerry West to make an impact on the court. He spent all 14 seasons in the NBA with the Lakers, leading the Lakers to one championship in nine Finals appearances.

In his 14 seasons, West averaged 27.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists. "The Logo" revolutionized the guard position, leading the Lakers to a championship in 1971-72. He also became the first and only player in NBA history on the losing team to win Finals MVP, which he did in 1968-69.

West was a 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA selection and five-time All-Defensive selection. Despite his 1-8 record in the Finals and his lack of an MVP award, West is still one of the best point guards of all time who helped grow the NBA to what it is today. In 1980, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He died in June 2024, aged 86.

Lakers Highlights

• 1972 Champion
• 1969 Finals MVP
• Hall of Fame Class of 1980

5 LeBron James

Before joining the Lakers in 2018, LeBron James had already won three championships and put together an impressive resume as one of the greatest players of all time. After joining L.A., his resume continued to grow.

In his eight seasons with the Lakers, LeBron has been a eight-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA selection. His best season in L.A. was in 2019-20, when he led the Lakers to their 17th championship in franchise history and was named Finals MVP. That same season, he finished second in MVP voting to Giannis Antetokounmpo.

He also rewrote the record books in purple and gold, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in February 2023, winning MVP of the inaugural In-Season Tournament that December, and becoming the first player to reach 50,000 career points (regular season and playoffs combined) in March 2025.

After the 2025-26 season – a record 23rd in the league – LeBron left to join the Philadelphia 76ers, closing one of the most decorated chapters of his career.

Lakers Highlights

• 2020 Champion
• 2020 Finals MVP
• Eight-time All Star

4 Shaquille O'Neal

After being selected first overall by the Orlando Magic in 1992, it did not take Shaquille O'Neal long to dominate the NBA, winning Rookie of the Year in his first season. In 1996, he left Orlando in free agency and took his talents to L.A., a move that would return the Lakers to championship contenders.

Shaq dominated in his eight years with the Lakers, averaging 27.0 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. He helped lead the Lakers to a three-peat alongside Kobe Bryant from 1999-00 to 2001-02, winning Finals MVP in all three instances.

He was the 1999-00 MVP, the only MVP award he would win during his legendary career. He was also a seven-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA selection and three-time All-Defensive selection as a Laker. After the 2003-04 season, he was traded to the Miami Heat, where he would win his fourth and final title before being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.

Lakers Highlights

• 2000, 2001, 2002 Champion
• 2000, 2001, 2002 Finals MVP
• Hall of Fame Class of 2016
• 2000 MVP

3 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was already one of the best players in the NBA in his first six seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, leading the franchise to their first championship in 1970-71. In 1975, the Bucks sent him to the Lakers in one of the best trades in franchise history.

His dominance would continue during his tenure with the Lakers, whom he spent 14 seasons with. In those 14 seasons, he averaged 22.1 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. Alongside Magic Johnson, he led the Lakers to five titles during his 14 seasons with the franchise, including being named Finals MVP in 1984-85.

During his time in Los Angeles, Kareem was a 13-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA selection and seven-time All-Defensive selection. He was also a three-time MVP winner as a laker.

When he retired in 1989, Kareem was the NBA’s all-time leading scorer – a record he held until LeBron James passed him, in a Lakers jersey, in 2023. In 1995, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame, capping off one of the most successful and legendary careers any player has had in NBA history.

Lakers Highlights

• 1985 Finals MVP
• 1976, 1977, 1980 MVP
• Hall of Fame Class of 1995