The Los Angeles Lakers may be the most respected and well-known franchise in sports. He has built a foundation of success, dominance and consistency which is truly unprecedented. Ultimately, the Lakers are tied with the Boston Celtics for the most NBA championships won with 17.
The Lakers have a few key figures that are directly responsible for the amount of success of the franchise. These figures include both Hall of Fame players and legendary coaches, as their influence cannot be ignored. By ranking the top 10 Lakers in NBA history, it's time to decide which figure was most important to the Purples and Golds.
The Best Owner: Jerry Boos
Widely regarded as the greatest boss in sports history, Jerry was simply the businessman and philanthropist who over 33 years guided the Los Angeles Lakers to 16 NBA Finals and won 10 NBA championships. It is only fitting that we begin our rankings with a mention of the late and great Jerry Buss.
Owning the bus from 1979 to 2013, the Los Angeles Lakers only missed the NBA playoffs twice. No other owner has a track record like this and the success the franchise has enjoyed under him is due to the love, loyalty and competitiveness he instills among Lakers fans and players.
10. James Lol
17.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.7 BPG
"Big Game" James Worth was known for turning it on in the biggest moments. A 7-time All-Star forward who played at both ends, Worth was part of a dominant Lakers dynasty that won 3 NBA titles. 1 overall pick, most famously winning the NBA Finals MVP in 1988 after averaging 22.0ppg and 7.4rpg.
It was fitting that his number 42 was retired by the team in the 1995 season as a player of his qualities and ability did not come often. Worth is 4th all-time in Lakers games played, 5th in field goalscoring and 6th in points.
9. Elgin Baylor
27.4 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 4.3 APG
In terms of on-court dominance, Baylor would have been highly ranked. The superstar scoring phenom is one of the best players of all time, and the fact that he is ranked 9th on this list is because he could never give the Lakers an NBA championship. But Baylor did manage to appear in 8 NBA Finals for the team.
Baylor still made 11 All-Star teams, made 10 All-NBA teams, and won the 1959 Rookie of the Year. Among the Lakers of all time, Baylor is first in rebounds and fourth in scoring. Even though he was a scorer by nature, Baylor ranks 7th in total assists, showing that he was indeed an all-round star.
8. Jerry West
27.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 6.7 APG, 2.6 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Logo himself, Jerry West was one of the best defenders to ever play the game. West made 14 All-Star team selections, 12 All-NBA team selections, and was arguably the best pure shooter to play for the Lakers. West had an incredible 12 finals with the Lakers, but it wasn't until 1972 that he earned his first NBA title.
West was so impressive, he even won the 1969 Finals MVP, averaging 37.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 7.4 APG in a losing effort to the Boston Celtics. But Jerry West was also a great general manager, guiding the Lakers to 6 NBA titles since his reign in 1983. It was West who believed that Kobe Bryant would become that star, and it was he who acquired superstar Shaquille O'Neill. from Orlando.
Without Jerry West as GM, Los Angeles would never have combined O'Neal and Bryant for the feat of a legendary 3-peat. As both a Hall of Fame player and general manager, West will forever carry the top-10.
7. LeBron James
26.0 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 9.0 ppg, 1.2 spg, 0.6 bpg
It may seem surprising to see LeBron James on this list, but The King is credited with making the Los Angeles Lakers relevant again after years of mediocrity. The Lakers last made it to the NBA Finals in 2010 thanks to Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson, and Pau Gasol, before LeBron & Co. did the same last year. Ever since Bryant retired, the Lakers were a mess.
With LeBron and later Anthony Davis on the roster, the Lakers won the NBA title last year and have the chance to win more together. LeBron is already second in range triple-doubles and fourth in PPG. With a title already under his belt, LeBron had a chance to be recognized even more as one of the best Lakers of all time.
6. Pat Riley
Pat Riley is one of the best coaches in NBA history, and he was one of the best coaches for the Lakers. Riley won 4 NBA titles during the Magic Johnson "Showtime" era and even captured one title as a player for the Lakers in 1972. As a 6'4" guard, Riley managed to average 6.7 PPG as a role player during his championship season.
But given the history of the Lakers, his influence as a head coach was really significant. By leading Magic Johnson and the Lakers every night, Riley was as tough a coach as he ever was. Riley also won the Coach of the Year Award in 1990, leading the Lakers to 63 wins but 4 NBA titles in a way that's how he made a name for himself as a Hall of Fame head coach.
5. Phil Jackson
The greatest coach the Lakers ever had, Phil Jackson was a special breed. He already had 6 NBA titles as coach of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, but he won another 5 with Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Phil was extremely fortunate to coach the 2 best shooting guards of all time, but Jackson's basketball philosophy as The Triangle offense made his teams virtually unbeatable.
Phil coached the Lakers 3-Pete under the dominance of Shaquille O'Neill and later went on to win another 2 titles with Kobe Bryant in 2009 and 2010. Jackson knew how to push every player's button to make them better and, in terms of awarding an NBA title, there is no head coach. Did it better than Zen Master.
4. Shaquille O'Neill
27.0 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 3.1 APG, 0.6 SPG, 2.5 BPG
The most prominent physical specimen in the modern era was Shaquille O'Neill. Diesel was simply unstoppable as a Laker, making 7 All-Star teams during his 8 seasons with the franchise. Of course, Shaq led Los Angeles to 3 NBA titles and 3 consecutive Finals MVP wins with Kobe Bryant. In terms of physical dominance, O'Neill was one of a kind.
If only O'Neal had stayed with Kobe and the Lakers longer, we could have the best center ever. O'Neill was unstoppable in Los Angeles and had he won a few more rings, he could have been #1 on this list. Still, O'Neill has an idol outside Staples Arena and he deserves it without a doubt.
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbari
22.1 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 3.3 ppg, 0.9 spg, 2.5 bpg
The best center ever in terms of individual accolades, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was without a doubt a top-3 pick. His stats, achievements and influence were easily ahead of the pack in his position and he is still the only player to have an unstoppable offensive in his repertoire. As a Laker, Karim won 5 NBA titles and made 13 All-Star team selections.
Among the all-time Lakers, Karim is second in games played and second in total minutes. He is second in total rebounds, sixth in assists and first in blocks. He is also the third highest scorer in Lakers history and is behind only two other men to be crowned as the best Laker of all time.
2. Magic Johnson
19.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 11.2 ppg, 1.9 spg, 0.4 bpg
Arguably the greatest point guard of all time, Magic Johnson is also one of the top two Lakers of all time. Magic was the best leader on the court we've ever seen, and his ability to lead his team as a playmaker was his greatest attribute. The Magic spent his entire career with the Lakers, forming 12 All-Star teams and winning 5 NBA championships.
Magic also won the MVP award 3 times and Final MVP award 3 times during his illustrious career. Unsurprisingly, the Magic are first in assists, first in triple-doubles, second in steals, and fourth in rebounds. Despite playing alongside other Hall of Famers such as James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, it was Johnson who was the Lakers' best player and leader over the years. As great as the Magic was, only one man stands in front of him, wearing a Lakers jersey.
1. Kobe Bryant
25.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.7 ppg, 1.4 spg, 0.5 bpg
Ahead of the pack is the great Kobe Bryant. We lost the legend to an unfortunate disaster last year, but his legacy lives on forever. Black Mamba meant more to the Lakers' fan base than any other player, as he had put his heart and soul into every game he played. Kobe is a 5-time NBA Champion, 2-time Finals MVP, and an 18-time All-Star.
Bryant was simply sensational as a Laker, leading the franchise in scoring and playing games. The second most games played was by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who played 253 fewer games. Bryant also leads the Lakers on 3 meds, field goals, and steals. Even as a scorer, he finished second in total assists and third in rebounds. Bryant was the best pick because of his longevity, admiration and influence at best.