Fansided

5 strange players you forgot played for the Los Angeles Lakers

By Bryan Harvey

4 Feb 2001: Isaiah Rider #7 of the Los Angeles Lakers moves with the ball against Jon Barry #20 of the Sacramento Kings during the game at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers defeated the Kings 100-94. NOTE TO USER: It is expressly understood that the only rights Allsport are offering to license in this Photograph are one-time, non-exclusive editorial rights. No advertising or commercial uses of any kind may be made of Allsport photos. User acknowledges that it is aware that Allsport is an editorial sports agency and that NO RELEASES OF ANY TYPE ARE OBTAINED from the subjects contained in the photographs.Mandatory Credit: Christopher Ruppel /Allsport
4 Feb 2001: Isaiah Rider #7 of the Los Angeles Lakers moves with the ball against Jon Barry #20 of the Sacramento Kings during the game at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers defeated the Kings 100-94. NOTE TO USER: It is expressly understood that the only rights Allsport are offering to license in this Photograph are one-time, non-exclusive editorial rights. No advertising or commercial uses of any kind may be made of Allsport photos. User acknowledges that it is aware that Allsport is an editorial sports agency and that NO RELEASES OF ANY TYPE ARE OBTAINED from the subjects contained in the photographs.Mandatory Credit: Christopher Ruppel /Allsport /
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4. Jim McMillian

The Los Angeles Lakers finally won the NBA title in 1972, ending a Laker drought that lasted almost three times longer than George Mikan’s career.

People remember the team for Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain (and a good dash of Gail Goodrich), but try naming the team’s top three scorers that season and most people’s answers will likely not turn up the likes of Jim McMillian.

He posted 18.9 points per game in the regular season and 20.1 in the playoffs, and yet his name is buried beneath Pat Riley’s on most Laker writeups of the 1972 team simply because Riley resurfaced as the head coach during the franchise’s Showtime peak.

Forgetting McMillian is understandable. He’s Jim McMillian and he played in the 1970s. Also, after winning the title, he played only one more year for the Lakers. Then they traded him to the Buffalo Braves for Elmore Smith, who most people have probably also forgotten was a Laker.

Sadly, McMillian’s abilities on the court eroded season by season after leaving the Lakers, and he was out of the league by 30. His nickname was supposedly Butterball.

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