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.
Bill Bridges, a 6-foot-6, 228-pound center, was undersized for his position, but he was a ferocious rebounder who could also help out in the scoring column. During three seasons on the varsity squad at the University of Kansas, he averaged 13.2 points and 13.9 rebounds a game before the Chicago Packers took him in the third round of the 1961 NBA Draft.
He spent his first nine and a half seasons with the St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks, and during that time, he was named to the All-Star team three times. Early in the 1972-73 season, the Philadelphia 76ers traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that was looking to successfully defend its NBA championship from the prior season.
Bridges gave the Lakers some added frontcourt depth and averaged 9.8 points and 10.9 rebounds a game with them that season. They reached the NBA Finals again, but they lost there to the New York Knicks in five games.
He stayed with L.A. until the 1974-75 season, when he was traded midway through the campaign to the Golden State Warriors. He finally won the world title that year with the Warriors and retired afterward. Bridges ended up with career averages of 11.9 points and 11.9 rebounds a game, and he posted 8.5 points and 8.9 boards as a member of the Lakers.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers jersey history No. 32/No. 35 — Bill Bridges
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
