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.
Last February, the Lakers made perhaps the biggest, loudest and most memorable trade in NBA history when they landed Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks. Even better, they only gave up an aging and injury-prone superstar big man in Anthony Davis, a young 3-and-D wing in Max Christie, a first-round draft bust in Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2029 first-round draft pick and a 2025 second-round pick.
Doncic had already put together an impressive individual resume in six and a half seasons with the Mavericks and had just carried them to the 2024 NBA Finals, even though they finished that season with the fifth seed in the Western Conference. It was hoped that joining forces with LeBron James and Austin Reaves would elevate his fortunes.
His first half-season with Los Angeles was a bit off, by his standards, as he was out of shape and returning from a calf strain that had sidelined him for several weeks, but he still averaged 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.7 assists a game. This season, he got into much better shape and registered 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
Those numbers earned Doncic his second scoring title and his fifth All-NBA First Team nod in six years. So far, he has career averages of 29.2 points, 8.5 boards and 8.2 dimes a game, and at age 27, he appears to be just starting the prime of his career.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers jersey history No. 77 — Luka Doncic
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire | USA TODAY Network
