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.
In 2018, the Lakers signed LeBron James as a free agent, and they immediately knew they had to build a strong team around him. In their efforts to do so, they also brought in veteran center JaVale McGee that summer.
McGee had won back-to-back NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors during the previous two seasons. He was known as a strong defender and rim protector, but he also had a reputation for being a bit goofy and mistake-prone, so much so that he regularly made the blooper reels on “Shaqtin’ a Fool.”
With the Lakers, McGee was reliable, although he played a little under half the available minutes, at least partly due to his asthma. In his first season with them, he averaged 12 points, 7.5 rebounds and two blocks in 22.3 minutes a game, and while he was very limited offensively, he did give them a legitimate lob threat.
During the 2019-20 season, McGee formed a very solid tag-team duo at the center position along with Dwight Howard. He put up 6.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 16.6 minutes a game as the Lakers won the NBA championship.
He left as a free agent shortly afterward and played for five more teams over the next four seasons. He finished his 16-year NBA career with averages of 7.6 points, five rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 16.1 minutes a game.