LA Lakers 10 Greatest Post Players in Franchise History

This article will rank the top 10 post players in franchise history.  

Given the dominating, one-of-a-kind post players the team has boasted throughout the years, this was certainly no easy task.

So, who is No. 1? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? Shaquille O’Neal? George Mikan?

Let’s find out.

10. A.C. Green

A.C. Green helped Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar win two championships in the 1980s, in addition to helping Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant win one in 2000.

Green, who was drafted by the Lakers out of Oregon State in 1985, spent nine of his 16 NBA seasons with the Lakers, missing only three total games in those nine seasons.  

While Green’s numbers never jumped off the page, he proved to be a tough, consistent role player for two different Lakers dynasties.

Green was selected as a Western Conference All-Star in 1990.

9. Clyde Lovellette

Clyde Lovellette spent four seasons of his Hall of Fame career with the Minneapolis Lakers, helping the team win the 1954 championship.

Lovellette made the 1956 All-Star team as a member of the Lakers, and he would eventually make two more All-Star teams in 1960 and 1961 as a member of the St. Louis Hawks.

Lovellette was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.

Photo courtesy of: hoopszone.net

8. Andrew Bynum

Drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 10th overall pick in 2005, Andrew Bynum has helped the Lakers win the last two NBA championships.

While Bynum has struggled with various knee injuries throughout his career, he has shown flashes of brilliance.

Bynum has not only been a huge part of the team’s most recent success, but the 23-year-old figures to be the Lakers’ starting center for many years to come.

If Bynum is able to stay healthy and is able to put up good numbers on a more consistent basis, he won't be in the No.8 slot for very much longer.

7. Vlade Divac

The one thing Vlade Divac will be remembered for by Los Angeles Lakers fans is being the player that was traded for Kobe Bryant.

But many people forget Vlade was an above-average center for the majority of his seven-year stint with the Lakers. Divac averaged 12 points, eight rebounds and two assists, including being named to the 1990 All-Rookie Team.

Divac is one of six players in NBA history to have recorded 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists and 1,500 blocked shots.

6. Pau Gasol

Since Pau Gasol joined the Los Angeles Lakers in the middle of the 2008 season, the team has been to three NBA Finals and won back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010.

Before Gasol arrived, the Lakers were struggling to stay relevant, reeling from Shaquille O’Neal’s departure in 2004.

Since joining the team, Gasol has been selected to three consecutive All-Star teams, in addition to being named to two All-NBA Third Teams and one All-NBA Second Team.

5. Vern Mikkelsen

Vern Mikkelsen spent his entire 10-year NBA career with the Minneapolis Lakers. In his 10 years in Minneapolis, Mikkelsen made six All-Star teams and helped the team win four championships.

In addition, Mikkelsen made four All-NBA Second Teams in the 1950s. Mikkelsen and George Mikan were the most devastating frontcourt duo of their day—and one of the best of all-time for that matter. 

Photo courtesy of: lakerstats.com

4. George Mikan

George Mikan led the Lakers to five championships during the team’s tenure in Minneapolis.

Mikan’s 1952-54 Lakers were the first team to win three straight NBA championships.

Mikan made six career All-NBA first teams and four career All-Star teams.

Also, Mikan was selected as one of the 50 greatest players of all time in 1996 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1959.

Mikan is widely recognized as the first dominant big man in professional basketball.

Photo courtesy of: entertainment.howstuffworks.com

3. Shaquille O'Neal

From 1996 to 2004, Shaquille O’Neal manned the painted area for the Los Angeles Lakers. O’Neal led the Lakers to three consecutive championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

In his eight seasons with the Lakers, O’Neal averaged 27 points and 11 rebounds.

In 122 playoff games with the organization, O’Neal averaged 27 points and nearly 13 rebounds.

Over his 18-year career, O’Neal has won one MVP award, three finals MVPs, four career championships and has been selected to 15 All-Star teams and eight All-NBA first teams.

Additionally, O’Neal has won two scoring titles, was named the 1992-1993 Rookie of the Year and is currently in fifth place on the all-time scoring list.

2. Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain spent the last five years of his illustrious career with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Chamberlain helped the Lakers win the 1972 championship.

As a member of the Lakers, Chamberlain made four All-Star teams and was the 1972 finals MVP.

For his career, Chamberlain averaged 30 points, 23 rebounds and four assists.

Chamberlain was selected to 13 All-Star teams, seven All-NBA first teams and two All-Defensive first teams.

In addition, he won four MVP awards, seven scoring titles, 11 rebounding titles and was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996.

Chamberlain was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

Oh yeah, he also scored 100 points in a game on March 2, 1962 in Hershey Pennsylvania.

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar spent 14 of his 20 seasons in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers, helping the team win five championships in the 1980s.

As a member of the Lakers, Jabbar won three MVP awards and was named the finals MVP in 1985.

Jabbar averaged 24 points, 11 rebounds and three assists over his 20-year career en route to winning six MVP awards, two finals MVPs and six championships.

In addition, Jabbar was named to 19 All-Star teams, ten All-NBA first teams and five All-Defensive first teams.

Jabbar is the all-time leading scorer in NBA history and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.