Los Angeles Lakers: Power Ranking the Top 10 Players in Franchise History

Ranking the best Lakers of all time is a task, because you're including so many men who were the overall best at their position throughout the history of the NBA.

There's also the problem of the franchise moving, so guys like George Mikan, while great, played for the Minneapolis Lakers and can't be included (although we thank him for popularizing the hook shot).

There are, however, a great many players who deserve to be on this list, but the top 10 is reserved for the most powerful men. This doesn't mean powerful in a sense that they muscled their way to the top, though many of them did. Many of the greatest players did it with poise and a sense of teamwork.

The key to all of their success was a will to win, and that has driven all Hall of Famers to greatness.

1. Ervin Magic Johnson

While I wasn't born in time to appreciate Magic's greatness live, I can't tell you how many nights I've spent watching replays of old games and highlights.

He really was magical out there on the court.

He was quite possibly the greatest player ever at the point guard position and was able to set records while still facilitating his teammates.

In our current era of basketball, a lot of importance is put on individual achievements, but taking a look at Magic reminds you that a truly great player can get personal recognition and still win five championships.

Throughout his career, Magic appeared in nine NBA Finals, winning five of them. In his rookie year, Magic was asked to move from point guard to center—in the Finals. The Lakers won the championship that season.

Magic is a three-time NBA Finals MVP, three-time NBA MVP, 12-time All-Star and in the NBA Hall of Fame. He also set many team and NBA records.

Sadly, his career was cut short, and one can only imagine the amazing things he would have contained to do on the court for the Lakers. He truly is the greatest Laker of all-time.

2. Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant  is not only in the conversation for being the best Laker ever, but also for being the best basketball player ever.

He's got five championships, just like Magic, and countless other awards and accolades.

Drafted right out of high school, Bryant come from a basketball family, and it made him a killer on the court.

Much like Michael Jordan, Bryant has never tried to make friends in the game of basketball, but rather has focused on one thing—winning.

He's been with the Lakers during two eras, the Shaq era and the Gasol era (which some may argue is now the Bynum era as well) and won championships in both.

Last year, after the Lakers got swept in the playoffs, Bryant said if he doesn't win he considers it to be a wasted year of his life. 

There's no question that Bryant has the attitude of a winner, which is what one of the best Lakers of all-time needs to have. 

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Like many Lakers near the top of this list, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is not only a great Laker, but also one of the greatest centers the NBA has ever seen.

He played on the Lakers for 13 seasons and 20 seasons in the NBA overall.

In that time, Abdul-Jabbar went to 19 All-Star games, won five NBA MVPs in seven years (six overall) and has won six NBA championships (five with the Lakers) to list a few.

Abdul-Jabbar, born Lew Alcindor, played college basketball at UCLA under the legendary John Wooden. While there, he combined his natural talent and work ethic with the fundamentals that Wooden pounded into his players and became one of the most talented big men ever. 

While he's known for his raw talent, Abdul-Jabbar's biggest claim to fame is perfecting the skyhook, a shot that had been around for decades but no one had been able to master.

He played with a poise and charisma that few have had,and found much success with the Lakers.

4. Shaquille O'Neal

Any power ranking of the Lakers is not complete without one of the most powerful centers to ever play the game—Shaquille O'Neal.

Shaq came to the Lakers as a free agent from the Orlando Magic, where he was drafted.

While the Showtime Lakers were gone, Shaq did his best to make sure things still glittered in Tinseltown.

He wasn't a graceful center, but he could out-muscle nearly anyone who challenged him.

There aren't words to describe what a powerful player he was on the court, and this brought the Lakers a lot of success.

He won three championships with the Lakers and myriad other achievements. He helped make the center position what it is today—a spot where the most dominant man will win.

5. Jerry West

A man doesn't get the nickname "Mr. Clutch" for no reason, nor does his silhouette become the logo for the NBA without merit.

Jerry West is one of the best to ever set foot on the court.

His will to win and friendly demeanor make him one of the most interesting basketball players ever.

He played with the Lakers all of his 14 seasons in the NBA and was an All-Star every single time. He also helped lead the team to the NBA Finals nine times and finally won it all in 1972.

His fast release of the ball was what helped make West the clutch player that the Lakers knew they could trust, no matter the situation. He came from humble beginnings, which was never lost on him, making friends all over the NBA everywhere he went.

West not only worked for the Lakers on the court, but also in the front office after finishing his Hall of Fame career, continuing to make the team the best it could be.

6. Wilt Chamberlain

While Wilt Chamberlain only played the end of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, there's no doubt that he was an integral part of winning the 1972 championship.

He was a perennial All-Star and averaged 30 points a game throughout his career. 

The thing that stood out about Wilt, and why he's ranked so high on this list, is that he was an unstoppable force.

While out on the court, his physical presence was something he imposed on his opponents. The record books speak for themselves, as does the fact that he's in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

He not only scored 100 points in a game, but also led the league in assists one year. If Wilt had the ball, it was going in the hoop. 

7. Elgin Baylor

Elgin Baylor started his basketball career in 1958 on the Minneapolis Lakers.

After two years, the team moved to Los Angeles, and Baylor was a huge part of why they were successful.

His teammate Jerry West told HOOP magazine in 1992, "He was one of the most spectacular shooters the game has ever known. I hear people talking about forwards today and I haven't seen many that can compare with him." 

Baylor played at a time when media was certainly not what it is today, so there aren't any high-def highlight reels of him, but rather a sparse game here and there on NBA Classic, so the younger generation of Lakers fans are left with his legacy and lore.

His career average was 27 points per game,13 rebounds and four assists.

8. Jamaal Wilkes

From his college career, Jamaal Wilkes proved that he knew how to win.

He played at UCLA under coach John Wooden, and was a part of two undefeated championship teams.

John Wooden told the New York Post in 1985 of Wilkes, "I would have the player be a good student, polite, courteous, a good team player, a good defensive player and rebounder, a good inside player and outside shooter. Why not just take Jamaal Wilkes and let it go at that?"

Wilkes played with the Lakers for eight of his 12 seasons. He won two championships with the Lakers in 1980  and 1982.

During that time, he averaged no less than 20 points per game. However, it was more his style of play that made him great. 

Wilkes played with a smooth flow of the game that made it look almost lyrical. He was able to get the open shot and create them for his teammates as well.

9. James Worthy

"Big Game James" Worthy earned that nickname.

He played with the Lakers for his entire career alongside players like Magic Johnson.

To help justify why he got the nickname "Big Game James," just take a look at Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals, when the Lakers were playing the Detroit Pistons for the Championship.

Rather than get nervous or shy away from the moment, Worthy got his first triple-double with 36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists.

Worthy also knew that while he had raw talent and skill, he could learn form others.

Magic Johnson said of Worthy, "Even though he was the No. 1 pick in the draft, he had made up his own mind that he was gonna learn from Wilkes, and he accepted his role. That told me he was a team player, and a winner, too. Most rookies would be complaining and griping, but he never did that."

Worthy helped lead the Lakers to championships in 1985, 1987 and 1988. 

10. Gail Goodrich

Gail Goodrich played guard at a time in the NBA when there were plenty of good guys at that position, like Pete Maravich and Jerry West.

Still, Goodrich was able to stand out and prove himself.

A California native, Goodrich went to the school of John Wooden and was picked up by the Lakers his rookie season in the first round of the draft.

He played for the Lakers during the statistically best years of his career and averaged 18.6 points per game overall. 

When the Phoenix Suns became an expansion team, Goodrich was drafted by them and the Lakers lost him. However, his time in Phoenix gave him time to flourish, and when the Lakers brought him back in 1970, he was just in time to be a part of history.

The 1971-72 Lakers are one of the best teams in history, with Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Happy Hairston, Jim McMillan and of course Gail Goodrich. That year he averaged just over 23 points in the postseason and helped lead the Lakers to a championship.