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.
As the Lakers approach their 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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Let’s take a look at Wayne Ellington, a sharpshooter who had two separate stints with the Lakers.
After spending three years at the University of North Carolina, Ellington was the No. 28 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. The shooting guard played his first three seasons in Minnesota, and after brief stints with the Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks, he came to the Lakers for the 2014-15 season.
That season, he started 36 of 65 games and averaged 10.0 points a game while shooting 37% from 3-point range.
Ellington bounced around the league in subsequent years before returning to the Purple and Gold in 2021. During the 2021-22 campaign, his last in the NBA, he contributed 6.7 points in 18.8 minutes a game and made 38.9% of his 3-point attempts.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers jersey history No. 2 — Wayne Ellington