Through the 2024-25 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have had a total of 506 players suit up for them, going back to their days in Minneapolis. Some were forgettable, some were serviceable, some were good and a select few were flat-out legendary.
During the Lakers’ 80th season of existence (they were founded back in 1946 as the Detroit Gems in the National Basketball League), LeBron Wire is taking a look at each player who has worn their jersey, whether it has been a purple and gold one or the ones they donned back in the Midwest during their early years.
Most basketball fans remember Don Nelson as a longtime head coach in the NBA, but some may not know he had a relatively long playing career in the league as well. The Chicago Zephyrs (now the Washington Wizards) took him in the third round of the 1962 draft, and a year later, he joined the Lakers.
Nelson played two seasons with the Lakers and averaged 4.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 13.8 minutes a game during that time. Afterward, the Boston Celtics signed him as a free agent just after defeating L.A. in the 1965 NBA Finals.
He spent his remaining 11 seasons with the Celtics and ended up winning five championships with them. Lakers fans of a certain age may know him as the man who hit a shot late in Game 7 of the 1969 finals that bounced high off the back of the rim and dropped through the net to ensure a 108-106 Boston victory.
Nelson retired as a player in 1976 with career averages of 10.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in 20.6 minutes a game. Right after retiring, he became an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks, and he replaced the deposed Larry Costello early that first season as their head coach. He eventually became known as one of the originators of modern-day pace and space offense — back in the day, it was referred to as “Nellie Ball” when Nelson used it while at the helm of teams such as the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks.