The Lakers have had plenty of great guards and forwards over the years.
But the major reason for the team's historic success has been due to their big man. The Lakers have prided themselves on having among the best centers in the game, and sometimes it seems that there was always one to replace the other.
This list covers the five greatest centers to ever wear the purple and gold.
Divac grew into a fine NBA center over the years, thanks mainly to his grooming with the Lakers. In his first six seasons, the giant Serbian improved his scoring average each season and contributed 16 points and more than 10 rebounds per game in the 1994-1995 season -- not bad numbers for a guy who many thought wouldn’t be able to make it in the NBA. A pioneer for foreign players' entry in the NBA, Divac was later traded to the Charlotte Hornets for the draft rights to a player you may have heard of: Kobe Bryant.ReutersThe greatest center of all-time, but not the greatest Lakers center of all-time, Chamberlain was only on the team for his last five seasons. Even at the tail end of his career, The Big Dipper was still an excellent scorer and defensive player, and was a part of the magical 1971-1972 team that brought the Lakers their first title in Los Angeles.betyudidntknow.blogspot.comHe only played seven seasons in the NBA, but Mikan’s individual numbers were excellent, and so were his team’s accomplishments: five NBA championships. Mikan was among the first great NBA players as the game was emerging as a major sport, and a pioneer for the traditional role of the center position.nba-news-alex.blogspot.comThe Big Diesel was a terror for the Lakers for eight seasons, and won three titles for the team. O’Neal’s Most Valuable Player season in the 1999-2000 was among the greatest seasons of any NBA player in the modern era. With a larger-than-life personality, “Shaq” was beloved by Lakers’ fans.ReutersWith a devastating hook shot that became his signature scoring move, Abdul-Jabbar dominated opponents, becoming the all-time leading NBA scorer. “Cap” excelled as a silent leader, and won six championships in his career, five coming with the Lakers. Abdul-Jabbar was known for his intelligence as well as his strong defense skills that helped start fast breaks for the “Showtime” Lakers.feeds2.feedburner.com
