Los Angeles Lakers: Best players in team history who started elsewhere

2. LeBron James

I know, right? I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that LeBron James will be wearing a Lakers jersey this season. It’s a crazy world we live in seeing as that’s the reality of the situation.

Either way, he already ranks among the best players to ever be under contract for the Lakers who began their careers with another club. In some folks’ minds, James is already the best player the game has ever seen. There are far more people who would argue against that point, but the fact remains that the King is in the conversation.

For now, though, LeBron sits in the No. 2 slot on this particular. It’s not a slight on James, but rather a realistic statement on his standing among some of the greatest names to ever be printed across a Lakers jersey.

Obviously, LeBron’s legacy is among the most epic in NBA history. A prodigy coming out of high school, he entered the league and immediately proved himself as a superstar. Over the years, he’s racked up countless awards, numerous rings and asserted himself as a candidate for GOAT designation. Now, he comes to Los Angeles to resurrect a once-proud Lakers franchise.

What will his time in L.A. look like? Will it become clear that he’s in the twilight of his career, or does he still have some magic left in his legs? Optimism seems to be the tone among Lakers fans, but others outside of SoCal are more skeptical. Either way, it’ll be up to LeBron to feed or quiet the critics between now and next June.

Regardless of your feelings towards James and his westward journey, you can’t make a logical case against him as one of the all-time NBA legends. And now he’s with the Lakers.