Best draft picks in Los Angeles Lakers history
The draft is a seminal moment for many incoming players. Putting aside competitive stakes, each young athlete's life is irreversibly altered by the fame and fortune that comes with being an NBA player. The exorbitant contract values ensures these players almost never have to worry about personal finances. Plus, these young guns get to play alongside some of their basketball idols for a living. With these high stakes, it's easy to see why the draft is so revered.
Likewise, the fortunes of a city and franchise can be completely transformed by a draft pick. LeBron James, for instance, brought Cleveland its first sports championship in 52 years and was also reportedly worth hundreds of millions to the city's downtown economy. It almost goes without saying that Michael Jordan built the Chicago Bulls from the ground up into a championship team whose dynamic would reverberate through the decades.
With that in mind, Stacker compiled a list of the best draft picks in Los Angeles Lakers history using data from Basketball-Reference.com. Players were ranked according to a formula that approximates their career achievements, career value, and play quality. The formula encompasses Basketball-Reference.com's Hall of Fame probability, career win shares, and value over replacement player, aka VORP. For players drafted before data is available for VORP, half of the player's win shares were used in its place to calculate their Stacker score.
Basketball Hall of Fame inductees were given a minimum of 60% for their Hall of Fame probability, indicating a worthy résumé for their time but not up to par with some modern players. Scores were normalized to 100 based on the scoring leader. Keep reading to see where your favorite players fall on the list.
#50. Rick Roberson
- Stacker score: 4.4
- 15th overall pick in 1969
- Played two seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 9.0 PTS, 8.3 REB, 1.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 14.6 win shares
#49. Bob Harrison
- Stacker score: 4.5
- 23rd overall pick in 1949
- Played five seasons with Minneapolis Lakers
- Career averages: 7.2 PTS, 2.5 REB, 2.7 AST
- Advanced statistics: 15.0 win shares
- Accolades
--- 3x NBA Champ
--- 1x All Star
#48. Lew Hitch
- Stacker score: 4.5
- 20th overall pick in 1951
- Played four seasons with Minneapolis Lakers
- Career averages: 5.0 PTS, 5.3 REB, 1.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 15.1 win shares
- Accolades
--- 2x NBA Champ
#47. Josh Hart
- Stacker score: 4.6
- 30th overall pick in 2017
- Played two seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 9.8 PTS, 6.2 REB, 2.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 21.8 win shares, -0.1 box plus/minus, 5.2 VORP
#46. Kenny Carr
- Stacker score: 5.1
- Sixth overall pick in 1977
- Played three seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 11.6 PTS, 7.4 REB, 1.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 33.6 win shares, -1.5 box plus/minus, 2.3 VORP
#45. Brandon Ingram
- Stacker score: 5.1
- Second overall pick in 2016
- Played three seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 19.2 PTS, 5.2 REB, 4.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 22.1 win shares, -0.1 box plus/minus, 6.7 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 0.0%
- Accolades
--- 1x All Star
#44. Jordan Clarkson
- Stacker score: 5.2
- 46th overall pick in 2014
- Played four seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 15.9 PTS, 3.4 REB, 2.7 AST
- Advanced statistics: 23.4 win shares, -0.6 box plus/minus, 6.5 VORP
#43. Jim King
- Stacker score: 5.3
- 14th overall pick in 1963
- Played three seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 7.2 PTS, 2.5 REB, 2.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 17.7 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1x All Star
#42. Jim Price
- Stacker score: 5.9
- 16th overall pick in 1972
- Played four seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 10.0 PTS, 3.1 REB, 3.7 AST
- Advanced statistics: 19.7 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1973-74 All-Defensive
--- 1x All Star
#41. D'Angelo Russell
- Stacker score: 6.0
- Second overall pick in 2015
- Played three seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 17.7 PTS, 3.5 REB, 5.7 AST
- Advanced statistics: 19.5 win shares, 0.7 box plus/minus, 10.0 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 0.0%
- Accolades
--- 1x All Star
#40. Ivica Zubac
- Stacker score: 6.0
- 32nd overall pick in 2016
- Played three seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 8.8 PTS, 7.1 REB, 1.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 32.8 win shares, 0.3 box plus/minus, 5.1 VORP
#39. Anthony Peeler
- Stacker score: 6.2
- 15th overall pick in 1992
- Played four seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 9.7 PTS, 2.6 REB, 2.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 30.7 win shares, -0.7 box plus/minus, 6.6 VORP
#38. George Lynch
- Stacker score: 6.7
- 12th overall pick in 1993
- Played three seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 6.6 PTS, 5.0 REB, 1.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 32.3 win shares, -0.4 box plus/minus, 7.3 VORP
#37. Tom Hawkins
- Stacker score: 7.3
- Fourth overall pick in 1959
- Played one season with Minneapolis Lakers and five seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 8.7 PTS, 6.0 REB, 1.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 24.1 win shares
#36. Larry Nance
- Stacker score: 7.5
- 27th overall pick in 2015
- Played three seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 7.9 PTS, 6.4 REB, 1.9 AST
- Advanced statistics: 29.3 win shares, 1.1 box plus/minus, 8.6 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 4.8%
#35. Brian Winters
- Stacker score: 7.6
- 12th overall pick in 1974
- Played one season with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 16.2 PTS, 2.6 REB, 4.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 38.6 win shares, -0.5 box plus/minus, 7.8 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2x All Star
#34. Andrew Bynum
- Stacker score: 7.9
- 10th overall pick in 2005
- Played seven seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 11.5 PTS, 7.7 REB, 1.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 37.4 win shares, 1.4 box plus/minus, 9.1 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2x NBA Champ
--- 2011-12 All-NBA
--- 1x All Star
#33. Dick Garmaker
- Stacker score: 8.1
- Sixth overall pick in 1955
- Played five seasons with Minneapolis Lakers
- Career averages: 13.3 PTS, 4.2 REB, 2.6 AST
- Advanced statistics: 25.6 win shares
- Hall of Fame probability: 2.6%
- Accolades
--- 1956-57 All-NBA
--- 4x All Star
#32. Ruben Patterson
- Stacker score: 8.2
- 31st overall pick in 1998
- Played one season with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 10.7 PTS, 4.2 REB, 1.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 35.1 win shares, 0.7 box plus/minus, 10.8 VORP
#31. James Edwards
- Stacker score: 8.3
- 46th overall pick in 1977
- Played three seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 12.7 PTS, 5.1 REB, 1.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 59.7 win shares, -1.7 box plus/minus, 2.0 VORP
- Accolades
--- 3x NBA Champ
#30. Jim Cleamons
- Stacker score: 8.8
- 13th overall pick in 1971
- Played one season with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 8.3 PTS, 3.0 REB, 3.9 AST
- Advanced statistics: 29.1 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1972 NBA Champ
--- 1975-76 All-Defensive
#29. Walt Hazzard
- Stacker score: 9.1
- Fifth overall pick in 1964
- Played three seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 12.6 PTS, 3.0 REB, 4.9 AST
- Advanced statistics: 30.3 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1x All Star
#28. Julius Randle
- Stacker score: 9.8
- Seventh overall pick in 2014
- Played four seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 18.7 PTS, 9.4 REB, 3.6 AST
- Advanced statistics: 39.5 win shares, 0.9 box plus/minus, 13.6 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 0.4%
- Accolades
--- 2x All-NBA
--- 2x All Star
#27. John Block
- Stacker score: 9.8
- 27th overall pick in 1966
- Played one season with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 11.9 PTS, 6.6 REB, 1.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 32.7 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1x All Star
#26. Billy Knight
- Stacker score: 10.8
- 21st overall pick in 1974
- Career averages: 16.9 PTS, 5.3 REB, 2.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 48.5 win shares, 0.9 box plus/minus, 13.4 VORP
- Accolades
--- 3x All Star
#25. Brad Davis
- Stacker score: 11.0
- 15th overall pick in 1977
- Played two seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 8.2 PTS, 1.8 REB, 4.9 AST
- Advanced statistics: 53.6 win shares, 0.1 box plus/minus, 12.1 VORP
#24. Elden Campbell
- Stacker score: 11.3
- 27th overall pick in 1990
- Played nine seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 10.3 PTS, 5.9 REB, 1.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 62.8 win shares, -0.5 box plus/minus, 9.5 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2004 NBA Champ
#23. Derek Fisher
- Stacker score: 11.4
- 24th overall pick in 1996
- Played 13 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 8.3 PTS, 2.1 REB, 3.0 AST
- Advanced statistics: 62.3 win shares, -0.9 box plus/minus, 8.9 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 1.9%
- Accolades
--- 5x NBA Champ
#22. Norm Nixon
- Stacker score: 12.6
- 22nd overall pick in 1977
- Played six seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 15.7 PTS, 2.6 REB, 8.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 47.6 win shares, -0.5 box plus/minus, 10.2 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 17.7%
- Accolades
--- 2x NBA Champ
--- 2x All Star
#21. Nick Van Exel
- Stacker score: 13.3
- 37th overall pick in 1993
- Played five seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 14.4 PTS, 2.9 REB, 6.6 AST
- Advanced statistics: 55.9 win shares, 0.4 box plus/minus, 17.7 VORP
- Accolades
--- 1x All Star
#20. Michael Cooper
- Stacker score: 13.3
- 60th overall pick in 1978
- Played 12 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 8.9 PTS, 3.2 REB, 4.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 52.5 win shares, 1.2 box plus/minus, 19.1 VORP
- Accolades
--- 5x NBA Champ
--- 1986-87 Def. POY
--- 8x All-Defensive
#19. Jim McMillian
- Stacker score: 13.8
- 13th overall pick in 1970
- Played three seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 13.8 PTS, 5.3 REB, 2.5 AST
- Advanced statistics: 46.0 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1972 NBA Champ
#18. Leroy Ellis
- Stacker score: 13.9
- Eighth overall pick in 1962
- Played six seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 9.7 PTS, 8.3 REB, 1.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 46.3 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1972 NBA Champ
#17. Byron Scott
- Stacker score: 17.2
- Fourth overall pick in 1983
- Played 11 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 14.1 PTS, 2.8 REB, 2.5 AST
- Advanced statistics: 75.2 win shares, 0.8 box plus/minus, 21.0 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 1.9%
- Accolades
--- 3x NBA Champ
#16. A.C. Green
- Stacker score: 18.5
- 23rd overall pick in 1985
- Played nine seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 9.6 PTS, 7.4 REB, 1.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 99.5 win shares, -0.2 box plus/minus, 16.6 VORP
- Accolades
--- 3x NBA Champ
--- 1988-89 All-Defensive
--- 1x All Star
#15. Rudy LaRusso
- Stacker score: 19.6
- 12th overall pick in 1959
- Played one season with Minneapolis Lakers and seven seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 15.6 PTS, 9.4 REB, 2.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 61.4 win shares
- Hall of Fame probability: 6.6%
- Accolades
--- 1968-69 All-Defensive
--- 5x All Star
#14. Archie Clark
- Stacker score: 19.9
- 37th overall pick in 1966
- Played two seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 16.3 PTS, 3.3 REB, 4.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 64.7 win shares
- Hall of Fame probability: 2.5%
- Accolades
--- 1971-72 All-NBA
--- 2x All Star
#13. K.C. Jones
- Stacker score: 21.6
- 85th overall pick in 1955
- Career averages: 7.4 PTS, 3.5 REB, 4.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 38.6 win shares
- Accolades
--- 8x NBA Champ
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#12. Marc Gasol
- Stacker score: 24.2
- 48th overall pick in 2007
- Played one season with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 14.0 PTS, 7.4 REB, 3.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 85.3 win shares, 3.1 box plus/minus, 36.5 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 4.2%
- Accolades
--- 2019 NBA Champ
--- 2012-13 Def. POY
--- 2x All-NBA
--- 2012-13 All-Defensive
#11. Vlade Divac
- Stacker score: 24.9
- 26th overall pick in 1989
- Played eight seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 11.8 PTS, 8.2 REB, 3.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 96.4 win shares, 2.3 box plus/minus, 36.3 VORP
- Accolades
--- 1x All Star
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#10. Eddie Jones
- Stacker score: 28.1
- 10th overall pick in 1994
- Played five seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 14.8 PTS, 4.0 REB, 2.9 AST
- Advanced statistics: 100.6 win shares, 3.1 box plus/minus, 42.3 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 3.5%
- Accolades
--- 1999-00 STL Champ
--- 1999-00 All-NBA
--- 3x All-Defensive
--- 3x All Star
#9. Clyde Lovellette
- Stacker score: 31.2
- 10th overall pick in 1952
- Played four seasons with Minneapolis Lakers
- Career averages: 17.0 PTS, 9.5 REB, 1.6 AST
- Advanced statistics: 70.6 win shares
- Accolades
--- 3x NBA Champ
--- 1955-56 All-NBA
--- 4x All Star
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#8. Gail Goodrich
- Stacker score: 35.3
- 10th overall pick in 1965
- Played nine seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 18.6 PTS, 3.2 REB, 4.7 AST
- Advanced statistics: 76.3 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1972 NBA Champ
--- 1973-74 All-NBA
--- 5x All Star
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#7. James Worthy
- Stacker score: 35.6
- First overall pick in 1982
- Played 12 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 17.6 PTS, 5.1 REB, 3.0 AST
- Advanced statistics: 81.2 win shares, 1.9 box plus/minus, 29.2 VORP
- Accolades
--- 3x NBA Champ
--- 1987-88 Finals MVP
--- 2x All-NBA
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#6. Vern Mikkelsen
- Stacker score: 41.4
- 11th overall pick in 1949
- Played 10 seasons with Minneapolis Lakers
- Career averages: 14.4 PTS, 9.4 REB, 2.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 83.4 win shares
- Accolades
--- 4x NBA Champ
--- 4x All-NBA
--- 6x All Star
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#5. Sam Jones
- Stacker score: 44.4
- 59th overall pick in 1956
- Career averages: 17.7 PTS, 4.9 REB, 2.5 AST
- Advanced statistics: 92.3 win shares
- Accolades
--- 10x NBA Champ
--- 3x All-NBA
--- 5x All Star
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#4. Elgin Baylor
- Stacker score: 48.0
- First overall pick in 1958
- Played two seasons with Minneapolis Lakers and 12 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 27.4 PTS, 13.5 REB, 4.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 104.2 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1958-59 ROY
--- 10x All-NBA
--- 1958-59 AS MVP
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#3. Magic Johnson
- Stacker score: 64.3
- First overall pick in 1979
- Played 13 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 19.5 PTS, 7.2 REB, 11.2 AST
- Advanced statistics: 155.8 win shares, 7.5 box plus/minus, 80.0 VORP
- Accolades
--- 5x NBA Champ
--- 3x MVP
--- 3x Finals MVP
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#2. Jerry West
- Stacker score: 65.6
- Second overall pick in 1960
- Played 14 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 27.0 PTS, 5.8 REB, 6.7 AST
- Advanced statistics: 162.6 win shares
- Accolades
--- 1972 NBA Champ
--- 1968-69 Finals MVP
--- 1969-70 Scoring Champ
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
#1. Kobe Bryant
- Stacker score: 66.5
- 13th overall pick in 1996
- Played 20 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers
- Career averages: 25.0 PTS, 5.2 REB, 4.7 AST
- Advanced statistics: 172.7 win shares, 4.6 box plus/minus, 80.1 VORP
- Accolades
--- 5x NBA Champ
--- 2007-08 MVP
--- 2x Finals MVP
--- Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
