Best 2nd round draft picks in Los Angeles Lakers history

The Los Angeles Lakers, a franchise synonymous with superstar talent and championship glory, have often made headlines with their blockbuster moves and high-profile draft picks. Every so often, though, they will pluck a gem not from the lottery but from the depths of the second round of the NBA Draft. Since the NBA adopted its two-round format in 1989, the Lakers have struck gold with overlooked prospects who became crucial pieces to their teams.

In a league where second-rounders like Draymond Green and Khris Middleton have defied the odds, the Lakers, too, have discovered a few diamonds in the rough. Let’s dive into the best second-round picks in Lakers history and how they’ve contributed to the team's storied legacy.

5. Ruben Patterson (1998, 31st overall)

Ruben Patterson hits this Lakers list more for their eye for talent than his contributions to the franchise. After failing to earn many minutes in his rookie season in LA, he signed as a free agent with the Seattle Supersonics with eyes on a larger role in the rotation, which he received, starting 96 of 157 games with Seattle. He became a double-figure scorer and defensive lynchpin during these seasons, establishing himself as a valuable role player in the league.

After two seasons in Seattle, he secured a pay raise moving a bit south to play for the Portland Trail Blazers, where he spent the bulk of his career hounding the league’s best offensive wings and making them work for their points. Ruben needed a certain kind of demeanor to keep himself locked into that defense, though, which led to the occasional altercation with friend and foe alike.

Most know him as the self-proclaimed “Kobe Stopper,” which didn’t go over too well with Kobe himself. Hyperbole aside, Patterson was undoubtedly one of the league’s best wing defenders during the early 2000s, and even fueled Kobe to some spectacular performances against him, providing memorable moments for Lakers fans even after he left the team.

4. Luke Walton (2003, 32nd overall)

Son of the late, great Bill Walton, Luke Walton joined the Lakers out of the storied 2003 NBA Draft as the 32nd overall pick. Luke spent 8+ seasons with the Lakers, even starting 138 games during that stretch. He played over 20 minutes per game only twice in that stretch but was a consistently valued contributor, nonetheless.

He was never a spectacular player generating highlight plays but was a sound connector who was a splendid passer, a solid defender and could occasionally knock down a big three. Being emblematic of a role player starring in his role, he even spawned an annual ESPN column by Zach Lowe named after him. He was the consummate pro and won two championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010, being a consistent contributor to the 2009 team in particular.

Injuries became an issue for him as he approached his 30s, but he certainly made his impact felt for the team up to that point. Luke would also go on to affect the team after retirement, spending three seasons as the Lakers head coach from 2016 through 2019. This was a largely forgettable stretch for the team, but it helps keep him entrenched in team history and he even got to coach multiple other players on this list!

3. Ivica Zubac (2016, 32nd overall)

This one might hurt Lakers fans a bit. Ivica Zubac was drafted early in the second round by the team in 2016 and had shown real flashes of potential under Coach Walton on a Lakers squad teeming with young talent. As a Laker, he posted 6 points and 4 rebounds in 13 minutes per night on 54 percent from the field through two and a half seasons and was even starting at the center spot midway through the 2018-19 season.

At that point, he was traded with Michael Beasley to the Los Angeles Clippers for Mike Muscala, in what remains a puzzling and often ridiculed move. The Lakers did not get much in the way of production from Muscala after his acquisition and did not sign a worthwhile free agent with their extra roster spot.

Zubac has gone on to become a rock-solid starting center for the Clippers. He has turned into a hyper-efficient finisher at the rim and one of the most effective big defenders in drop coverage in the league. His lack of shooting range and somewhat limited perimeter mobility keep him from being on the floor enough to be among the truly elite centers in the game, but he’s as steady as they come and recently earned himself a 3-year contract extension as a result.

2. Jordan Clarkson (2014, 46th overall)

The other player on this list coached by Luke Walton, Jordan Clarkson has been nothing if not a career bucket-getter in his ten seasons in the league. He came out firing in his rookie season to the tune of 12 points in just 25 minutes a night and earned 2014-15 NBA All-Rookie 1st Team honors.

Clarkson spent four and a half seasons in LA, mostly operating as a flamethrower off the bench. Fitting the archetype of a player with point guard size, high-level scoring prowess, and weaknesses in playmaking and defending, this is a role he has excelled in throughout most of his career. He earned some cursory looks in the 6th Man of the Year race in his time in LA, but his team’s mediocre performance (and the existence of Lou Williams) kept him out of serious consideration.

After an odd stint with a mostly LeBron-less Cavaliers team, Clarkson was traded to the Utah Jazz, where he has been since 2020. After getting comfortable, he won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in 2021, tallying over 18 points per game for the Jazz in a playoff run. As one of the quintessential bench scorers of the past decade, Clarkson overcame the odds of his draft position to make his mark on the league.

1. Nick Van Exel (1993, 37th overall)

Let the 90s nostalgia kick in … there aren’t too many Lakers fans (or NBA fans in general) who don’t fondly remember the southpaw Nick “the Quick” Van Exel. As a community college transfer to the University of Cincinnati, Van Exel was no stranger to being overlooked. Dropping to the 2nd round of the 1993 NBA Draft was just another hurdle to clear and he certainly succeeded.

Van Exel arrived in LA and immediately settled in as the Lakers' starting point guard, using his lightning-quick speed and steady hand controlling the ball to fill the Magic Johnson-sized hole at point guard for the team. While he was no Magic, he racked up 15 points and 7 assists, while hitting 2 three-pointers and committing only 2 turnovers per game in his time with the Lakers. He did all this on his way to an All-Star selection in the 1997-98 season.

Any time you can snag an All-Star and high-level contributor in the second round of the draft, you’re doing quite well for yourself. Todd Whitehead of Synergy Sports even ranked him the best player ever selected at No. 37 overall, showing how well the Lakers did here.

After hitting this apex, he was traded to the Denver Nuggets, where he remained an electric scorer and distributor for multiple seasons. Once in his 30s, he became a useful weapon off the bench for multiple teams to round out his career, last playing in 2006. He will always be a fan favorite of 90s basketball fans, having played for one of the world's most popular teams and even appearing for the Lakers in NBA Jam: Tournament Edition, adding to his acclaim.