Magic Johnson, known for his passing and scoring, was also a skilled rebounder during his 13-year career with the Lakers.
The Lakers franchise has been synonymous with NBA excellence for decades, boasting a roster of Hall of Famers and legendary players throughout their history.
Here’s a closer look at the star-studded list that makes up the Lakers’ top five rebounders.
Elgin Baylor is the first of five Hall of Famers on the rebounds leaderboard for the Lakers. Baylor was a dominant double-double machine, averaging 24.9 points and 15 rebounds as a rookie. He pulled down no fewer than 12 rebounds per game during each of his first seven seasons. He continued his dominance on the boards with four more seasons averaging more than 10 rebounds a game from 1996-1970.
Kareem Abdul-Jabaar’s career began as a noteworthy scorer in his first six seasons in Milwaukee, but Abdul-Jabbar established his legacy in Los Angeles. In his first six seasons with the Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar averaged more than 10 rebounds a game, with a career high of 16.9 rebounds in 1975. Abdul-Jabaar went on to post at least 7.7 rebounds per game in each of the next four seasons as well, laying the foundation for a total that vaulted him to second on this list.
Kobe Bryant carved out a Hall of Fame career that saw him excel across the stat sheet. Bryant became the Lakers’ third all-time rebounder thanks to his longevity and consistency. Bryant averaged 5.2 rebounds per season during his 20-year career in Los Angeles.
Earvin “Magic” Johnson is another name synonymous with the Lakers franchise, forging a 13-year career that included a brief stint as head coach. Johnson’s scoring and facilitating earned him the most accolades, but he also climbed the team’s rebounding leaderboard. Johnson averaged under six rebounds only twice in his career, recording between 6.2 and 9.6 in his 11 other seasons.
Wilt Chamberlain had a relatively short but memorable stint with the Lakers, arriving in Los Angeles in 1968. He rounded out his Hall of Fame career with 21.1 rebounds per game in his first season as a Laker and followed it up with an average of at least 18.2 rebounds in his four remaining seasons in Los Angeles. The production on the glass within a condensed period allowed Chamberlain to quickly pile up the rebounds.
