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.
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In 2017, the Utah Jazz took 6-foot-9 center Thomas Bryant in the second round of the NBA draft out of Indiana University. He was promptly traded, along with guard Josh Hart, who was the No. 30 pick that year, to the Lakers for No. 28 pick Tony Bradley. It proved to be a nice deal for Los Angeles.
Bryant went back and forth between the Lakers and their G League affiliate as a rookie and averaged 1.5 points and 1.1 rebounds in 4.8 minutes a game in the NBA that year. He was waived following the season and was signed by the Washington Wizards, but he came back to the Lakers three years later as a free agent.
At the time, the Lakers badly needed a true center to back up and play alongside Anthony Davis. Bryant was lackluster defensively, but he put up 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds in 21.4 minutes a game while shooting 44% from 3-point range during his second stint with them. They then dealt him to the Denver Nuggets at midseason, and he concluded the campaign by winning an NBA championship with the Nuggets.
Bryant is now a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he’s averaging six points in 12 minutes per game this season.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers jersey history No. 31 — Thomas Bryant