The Los Angeles Lakers team and players are among the most famous in NBA history because they hold the record for the NBA’s longest winning streak, 33 straight games, which was set during the 1971-72 season. They also have twenty-six Hall of Famers who played for the Lakers team, and four former players served as a coach for the team.
What does it mean to retire a number of NBA? When an NBA/basketball team retires a number, it means that the team stops using the shirt number worn by a specific player after they retire as a way of honoring them. All NBA teams will follow this rule to recognize key contributors such as players and coaches. Many of the greatest players in basketball history have become game legends.
Lakers Retired Numbers
1. Kobe Bryant numbers – #8, and #24
Kobe Bryant is the only player in NBA history who has had two jersey numbers retired by the same team (LAKERS). On December 18, 2017, his Lakers jersey was retired in honor of Kobe Bryant. Midway through his career, he was a star changing numbers, rising from #No. 8 to #No. 24. He led the LA Lakers to five championships, three while wearing No. 8 and two while wearing No. 24. He was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2007-08 season & MVP of the NBA Finals in 2009 and 2010.
Bryant spent nearly 20 seasons with the LA Lakers, averaging 25.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.4 steals in 1346 regular season games. 5-time NBA champion, 2-time NBA Finals MVP, NBA Most Valuable Player, 18-time NBA All-Star, 4-time NBA All-Star Game MVP, 15-time All-NBA Team selection, & 2x Best NBA Player ESPY Award winner.
2. Wilt Chamberlain – #13
Wilt Chamberlain was the only NBA player in history to score 4,000 points in a season. He retired on November 9, 1983, in honor of Wilt Chamberlain, who was one of the most complete players the NBA had ever seen. Chamberlain changed the way basketball is played by setting NBA single-game records for most points (100), most consecutive field goals (18), and most rebounds (55). Chamberlain played in 13 NBA All-Star Games before being inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1978.
During the 1961-62 season, he set an NBA record with 50.4 points per game for the Los Angeles Lakers. He scored 50 or more points 118 times and led the NBA in both scoring and rebounding (same season) five times in his career. Chamberlain was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history during the league’s 50th anniversary. Got NBA Most Valuable Player four times. He is the club’s all-time leader in field goal percentage (.605).
3. Elgin Baylor – #22
Elgin Baylor was the NBA’s first aerial showman, who was a 10-time All-NBA performer and a great scorer for the Los Angeles Lakers. On November 9, 1983, his Lakers jersey was retired in honor of Elgin Baylor, he ranks among the franchise’s all-time leaders in a variety of categories. At 6-foot-5, Baylor was strong and graceful. During his 14-year career with the Minneapolis and Los Angeles Lakers, he averaged 27.4 points and 13.5 rebounds, and he was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history during the league’s 50th anniversary.
4. Gail Goodrich – #25
Gail Goodrich rose to prominence after setting a scoring record of 42 points for UCLA against Michigan in the 1965 NCAA championship game. On November 20, 1996, his Lakers jersey was retired in honor of Gail Goodrich, who is one of the club’s all-time leaders. Gail Goodrich was a part of the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers NBA Championship team, which set an all-time foremost NBA record by winning 33 consecutive games. Gail Goodrich was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996 after playing for the Lakers for nine seasons, averaging 19.0 points and 4.2 assists in 687 games.
5. Magic Johnson – #32
During his 13-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, Magic Johnson won five NBA championships and three MVP awards while revolutionizing the game. On February 16, 1992, Earvin (Magic) Johnson, Jr Lakers jersey was retired. In 906 games, Magic Johnson averaged 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 11.2 assists, and 1.9 steals. Magic Johnson was a 12-time All-Star and a nine-time All-NBA First Team selection. He broke Robertson’s career assist record, which he later renounced to John Stockton.
6. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – #33
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, probably most famous for his trademark sky hook. On March 20, 1990, his Lakers jersey was retired in honor of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer (38,387). He set a club record by scoring in 11 consecutive seasons from 1975-76 to 1985-86. When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar retired from the NBA in 1989 at the age of 42, no NBA player had ever scored more points, blocked more shots, won more Most Valuable Player Awards, played in more All-Star Games, or logged more seasons.
7. Shaquille O’Neal – #34
Shaquille O’Neal, one of the greatest basketball players and centers of all time, played 8 seasons for the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 27.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in 514 games. He had a 19-year career with six different teams, and his LA Lakers jersey was retired on April 2, 2013, in honor of Shaquille O’Neal. Shaquille O’Neal is one of six Lakers to score 60 points or more in a single game (Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, George Mikan). During the NBA’s 50th anniversary season, he was also named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history.
8. James Worthy – #42
James Worthy led the Lakers to championships in 1985, 1987, and 1988, as well as seven NBA Finals appearances, as the first pick in the 1982 NBA draught. On December 10, 1995, the James Worthy LA Lakers jersey number #42 was retired in honor of James Worthy. He got Most Valuable Player of the 1988 NBA Finals and averaged 22.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists.
9. Jerry West – #44
Jerry West played for the Los Angeles Lakers for 14 years. His jersey number #44 was retired on November 19, 1983. He became interchangeable with brilliant basketball, becoming the third player in league history to reach 25,000 points (after Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson). He was an All-Star every year of his career and led the LA Lakers to the NBA Finals nine times during his career.
10. Jamaal Wilkes – #52
Jamaal Wilkes is a three-time NBA All-Star, and on December 28, 2012, his Lakers jersey number #52 was retired. Wilkes averaged 18.4 points per game in eight seasons with the Lakers and at least 20 points per game for three straight seasons. He won four NBA championships, three with the Lakers and one with the Golden State Warriors. He got Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
Lakers Retired Jerseys
| Player | Lakers Retired Number | Retired On |
|---|---|---|
| Kobe Bryant | 8 & 24 | December 18, 2017 |
| Wilt Chamberlain | 13 | November 9, 1983 |
| Elgin Baylor | 22 | November 9, 1983 |
| Gail Goodrich | 25 | November 20, 1996 |
| Magic Johnson | 32 | February 16, 1992 |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 33 | March 20, 1990 |
| Shaquille O’Neal | 34 | April 2, 2013 |
| James Worthy | 42 | December 10, 1995 |
| Jerry West | 44 | November 19, 1983 |
| Jamaal Wilkes | 52 | December 28, 2012 |
FAQs about Lakers retired jerseys
Magic Johnson’s #32 has been retired by the Los Angeles Lakers for over three decades.
Once a jersey number has been retired, it cannot be worn by any future player on the team.
The NBA has announced that the No. 6 jersey will be retired in honor of Bill Russell. Bill Russell died recently at the age of 88, but players who still wear the number will be allowed to do so until they retire.
Read also- Who scored the most points in NBA finals game?
Conclusion
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