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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Just prior to the 1995-96 season, the Lakers signed Derek Strong as a free agent. A 6-foot-9, 240-pound power forward, he grew up in the Southland and attended Pacific Palisades High School before playing at Xavier University for three years.
Strong had been a second-round draft pick in 1990, and in his one season with the Lakers, he averaged 3.4 points and 2.8 rebounds in 11.8 minutes a game. He spent the next four seasons with the Orlando Magic before wrapping up his NBA career with the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2000-01 campaign.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers jersey history No. 7 — Derek Strong