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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This time, we take a look at center Andre Drummond, who played for the Lakers during the 2020-21 season.
Drummond was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. During the first eight seasons of his pro career, he was one of basketball’s most ferocious rebounders, and he led the league in rebounds per game four times and in offensive rebounds per game seven seasons in a row.
The Pistons traded him to the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2019-20 season, and the Cavs waived him late the following campaign, allowing the Lakers to sign him a couple of days later.
The Lakers had won the NBA championship in 2020 with a tag-team duo of JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard at the center position. Both moved on afterward, and during the 2020-21 season, the team had to deal with subpar play from Marc Gasol at the 5 spot.
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In 21 regular-season games with L.A., Drummond averaged 11.9 points and 10.2 rebounds in 24.8 minutes a game. He left the Lakers during the summer of 2021 and has played for three other teams since, and he’s currently a member of the Philadelphia 76ers.
He will turn 32 years of age on Aug. 10, and while his days as a starting-level center may be over, he remains, at worst, a very solid backup.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers jersey history No. 2 — Andre Drummond