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.
Following two seasons at Cameron College and two more at Texas Western College (now known as University of Texas at El Paso), Jim Barnes was taken with the No. 1 pick in the 1964 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. He was third in the Rookie of the Year balloting with averages of 15.5 points and 9.7 rebounds a game during the 1964-65 season.
In 1966, Barnes was traded to the Lakers. The 6-foot-8 big man spent one and a half seasons with them and averaged 6.7 points and 5.4 rebounds in 17.3 minutes a game during that time.
Los Angeles traded him to the Chicago Bulls midway through the 1967-68 campaign, and the following season, he won an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics. Barnes ended up playing seven seasons in the league and finished with averages of 8.8 points and 6.5 rebounds in 20.8 minutes per game.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers jersey history No. 23 — Jim Barnes
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
