The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most iconic NBA franchises. Since 1947 when the team was founded as the Minneapolis Lakers there have been many great players who have worn the purple and gold. Here is the list of NBA stars that went down in history as the top scorers for the 16-time champions.
Today Los Angeles has such superstars as LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the roster but it will take significant amount of season for Davis to play for the Lakers in order to come close to the leaders. Meanwhile, James might simply not have enough years in his career to catch up.
10. Jamaal Wilkes 10,601 points
The four-time NBA champion and Hall of Famer played for the Lakers through 1977-85. Wilkes’ best season as a Laker in terms of scoring was in 1980-81 when he averaged 22.6 points per game.
9. Byron Scott 12,780
Scott won three NBA titles with the Golden era Lakers in 1985, 1987 and 1988. The 1987-88 season was the most successful individually for the 6’3″ shooting guard.
8. Gail Goodrich 13,044
The 6’1″ shooting guard had two stints in Los Angeles in 1965–68 and 1970–76. The Hall of Famer won a championship in 1972 while also having the highest scoring season with 25.9 points per game.
7. Shaquille O’Neal 13,895
Shaq was one of the most dominant forces in the league, especially during his Lakers years. The Hall of Famer helped Los Angeles win three championships through 2000-02. In 1999-00 he averaged 29.7 points per game, the highest in his career.
6. James Worthy 16,320
The 6’7″ small forward spent his entire career with the Lakers, winning three NBA titles in the process (1985, 1987, 1988). The Hall of Famer had the best season individually in 1990-91 when he averaged 21.4 points per game.
5. Magic Johnson 17,707
Magic Johnson was one of the most iconic players in the Lakers history. He helped Los Angeles win five championships (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988). The Hall of Famer averaged 23.9 points per game in 1986-87 which was his best season.
4. Elgin Baylor 23,149
Baylor started his NBA career back in 1958 while the Lakers were still located in Minneapolis. He made an instant impact in the league as he averaged 24.9 points per game in his first season. The best season in terms of scoring for the Hall of Famer came in his fourth year as he averaged 38.3 points per game. He won 11 titles for the Lakers.
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 24,176
The Hall of Famer was one of the most dominant players in the NBA. Abdul-Jabbar spent 14 out of his 20 NBA seasons in Los Angeles. His best years in terms of scoring were with the Bucks but he still averaged 27.7 points per game in 1975-76 for the Lakers. The 7’2″ center won five championships in LA.
2. Jerry West 25,192
The Logo was a scoring machine but he managed to win only one NBA title in 1972. The Hall of Famer had four +30 points per game seasons. His highest scoring season was in 1969-70 when he averaged 31.2 points per game.
1. Kobe Bryant 33,643
It comes as no surprise that Kobe is at the top of the list. The Hall of Famer dedicated his entire 20-season career for the Lakers, winning five championships in the process. One of the most iconic NBA players of all time exploded in 2005-06 as he averaged 35.4 points per game.
Stats courtesy of Basketball Reference
