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.
Kurt Rambis was named the West Coast Conference (WCC) Player of the Year as a senior at Santa Clara University, but he was seemingly a long shot to make it in the NBA. The New York Knicks took him in the third round of the 1980 draft but waived him shortly afterward, and he instead spent that season playing in Greece, where he won the Greek Cup as a member of AEK Athens.
The Lakers invited him to training camp in the fall of 1981, and while he made the final roster, he got little playing time until late December, when new head coach Pat Riley went to him following injuries to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and big man Mitch Kupchak. The 6-foot-8 forward showed a great knack for grabbing rebounds, inbounding the ball quickly, playing hard with physicality and doing the dirty work that is needed to win games.
From that point on, Rambis became a fixture in the Lakers’ rotation, and he was often in their starting lineup. Despite a noticeable lack of athleticism and grace, he was considered an integral part of their success during the Showtime era. He became a fan favorite, and his horn-rimmed glasses and long blond hair made him very recognizable.
Rambis left the Lakers in 1988 to join the Charlotte Hornets in the expansion draft after collecting four NBA championships with them. He wrapped up his playing career by playing two final seasons with L.A., and he retired in 1995 with career averages of 5.2 points and 5.6 rebounds in 18.5 minutes a game.
He instantly joined the Lakers’ coaching staff as an assistant, which kicked off a long coaching career for him. Rambis became their interim head coach for the final 37 games of the 1999 season, and he later spent two seasons as the Minnesota Timberwolves’ head coach. Today, he holds the title of senior basketball advisor for the Purple and Gold.