5 Most Polarizing Los Angeles Lakers of All Time

Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal. These are just a few of the Hall of Fame-worthy players who have donned a Los Angeles Lakers uniform through the years.

When an organization boasts so many accomplished players and unique personalities as the ones listed above, there is going to be a large percentage of people who love them. And other people, for potentially a variety of reasons, not so much.

As some would say, that’s one of the beautiful things about sports.

This article will look at five Los Angeles Lakers, three present and two former, who I consider to be polarizing. I consider the players on this list to be polarizing for either their play in the court, their actions off it or both.

5. Derek Fisher

Given the fact Derek Fisher is one of the classiest Lakers of all time, on and off the court, one may be wondering why I a consider him to be polarizing.

But my selection of D-Fish has more to do with his play on the court than Derek Fisher the person.

Over the last few seasons, given his aging body, Fisher has been/could easily be considered the weakest link on the Lakers by frustrated Lakers fans.

And while there is no doubting his overall decline as of late, there are hardcore Fisher apologists who hold his numerous clutch performances while wearing purple and gold in such high honor. They tend to neglect anything wrong he may do, or has done in recent seasons.

After Fisher’s game-winning shot against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, fans in the latter group have more reason to wear their blinders.

4. Andrew Bynum

Fans of the Los Angeles Lakers seemingly find themselves in one of two groups these days. One group thinks the team should trade Andrew Bynum as soon as possible, due to his injury history and overall inconsistency.

The other thinks the Lakers should hold on to the young center, because they believe he has the potential to add his name to the list of great big men who have played for the organization.

At this point it’s hard to decide which group is correct. Bynum has spent the majority of his career nursing injuries rather than dominating on the court. But through his first 11 games of this season, Bynum is averaging 16 points and nearly 14 rebounds, both of which are career highs.

3. Shaquille O'Neal

It’s always been my opinion that Los Angeles Lakers fans—and NBA fans in general for that matter—tended to “side” with Shaquille O’Neal during his and Kobe Bryant’s infamous feud while playing together for eight seasons with the Lakers.

Many saw Kobe as a young, cocky, entitled player who was trying to take over Shaq’s position as the team’s alpha dog.  

But there were some who believed Kobe was (or should be) the team’s top dog, and thought Shaq wasn’t as serious about basketball as Kobe was, citing his penchant for starting each season out of shape and only trying his best when the playoffs started.

Also, since Shaq left the Lakers, he has played for the Lakers’ division rival Phoenix Suns and their arch-nemesis, the Boston Celtics, making the argument for Shaq being polarizing even heftier.

2. Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain spent the last five seasons of his career playing with the Los Angeles Lakers. Considering the time spent with the team was so short and was far from the best seasons of his career, it may be hard to consider Wilt as being one of the all-time “Laker greats.”

The only reason he is considered one is due to his overall career achievements, rather than the five seasons spent with the Lakers.

One could also argue the team couldn’t get over the hump and win a championship until Chamberlain arrived. In 1972, Wilt helped the Lakers go on a record 33-game winning streak, winning 69 games (the second-most in league history) and helping lead the team to their first championship since moving to Los Angeles.

Chamberlain was also named Finals MVP in 1972, averaging 19 points and 23 rebounds against the New York Knicks.

Would the team have accomplished all of that without Chamberlain? Maybe. But it’s very doubtful.

1. Kobe Bryant

Not only is Kobe Bryant the most polarizing Los Angeles Laker of all time, he is one of the most polarizing athletes. Period.

As I mentioned in the Shaquille O’Neal slide, most Kobe detractors point to his perceived selfish acts during the Shaquille O’Neal feud of the early 2000s. Also, throw in his sexual assault charge in 2003 and there is plenty of fuel for people who dislike Kobe to throw into the fire.

But I think there is another reason why so many people dislike Kobe: all the countless, pointless comparisons to Michael Jordan. Jordan is undoubtedly the best basketball player ever, and there are few who disagree with that statement.

However, of all the players who have unfairly been compared to Jordan (Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, LeBron James, Harold Miner!), Kobe is the only of those players who warrants being whispered in the same conversation (I am in no way saying Kobe is better than MJ, just for the record).

Fans of MJ, basketball’s golden boy, are possibly threatened by Kobe’s overall career being in the same neighborhood as MJ’s.

Likewise, there are some people running around Southern California who I think would run through a wall for Kobe, and practically hang on his every word—and jump shot, for that matter.