The Los Angeles Lakers have such a deep history of stars that just making a top‑30 list is an achievement in itself. From the Minneapolis days through Showtime, the Shaq‑and‑Kobe dynasty and the current LeBron era, the franchise has rarely gone long without at least one all‑time great on the roster.
A new ranking runs through the 30 best Lakers ever, weighing championships, individual accolades, longevity in purple and gold and overall impact on the franchise. It moves from role‑playing glue guys like Rick Fox and Derek Fisher up through big names such as Pau Gasol, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson, explaining why each one lands where they do. Complex lays out the full list with write‑ups for every player here.
One of the more talked‑about parts of the piece is how it handles current‑era stars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis, whose résumés are still evolving but already include a 2020 title. The author also explains how ring counts and Finals runs were balanced against peak play and the cultural footprint each player left on Los Angeles.
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For fans, the list doubles as both a refresher course on Lakers history and a built‑in debate starter about who’s too high, too low or missing entirely. If you want to dig into the full order — from Luka Dončić’s recent arrival all the way up to the top spot — the complete ranking is worth a read here.
