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.
In 2012, the Lakers traded for future Hall of Famers Steve Nash and Dwight Howard, giving them a superteam that consisted of Nash, Howard, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. But they needed a deep enough supporting cast, and therefore, they signed free agent shooting guard Jodie Meeks that offseason.
Meeks, a second-round pick in 2009, was starting to establish himself as a 3-point sniper. He played two seasons with the Lakers and averaged 11.8 points in 27.2 minutes a game while shooting 38.1% from 3-point range with them.
In 2014, Meeks left L.A. to join the Detroit Pistons. He played five more seasons in the NBA and retired with a career average of 9.3 points in 22.5 minutes per game. Just before he left the league, he won a championship as a member of the Toronto Raptors in 2019.