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.
Ime Udoka is best known as the current head coach of the Houston Rockets and the former coach of the Boston Celtics. But back in the day, he played in the NBA, and his first stint in the league was with the Lakers.
He went undrafted in 2000 and spent a few years in a few small pro basketball leagues before the Lakers signed him to a 10-day contract in January 2004. At the time, Kobe Bryant had just suffered a sprained right shoulder and was temporarily out of action. Udoka did little of note with L.A., as he appeared in four games with it and had a total of eight points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals.
The 6-foot-5 wing played in Europe and the National Basketball Developmental League (now the G League) before returning to the NBA to play for the New York Knicks during the 2005-06 campaign and the Portland Trail Blazers the following season. He then played three seasons with the San Antonio Spurs and one with the Sacramento Kings.
Starting in 2012, Udoka was an assistant coach on the Spurs under head coach Gregg Popovich for nine seasons, where he won an NBA championship in 2014. His time there, as well as his subsequent assistant coach stints with the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets, set the scene for him to become the Celtics’ head coach in 2021.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers jersey history No. 5 — Ime Udoka
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
