- Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant (born) is an American All-Star shooting guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. Bryant is the only son of former Philadelphia 76ers player and former Los Angeles Sparks head coach Joe "Jellybean" Bryant. Bryant rose to national prominence in 1996 when he became the first guard in league history to be drafted out of high school.
- Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (born March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey), frequently referred to simply as Shaq (pronounced "shack"), is an American professional basketball player, generally regarded as one of the most dominant in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He starts at center for the Miami Heat, after previous stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic. O'Neal has been on four NBA Championship teams, most recently in 2006, …
- Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol Sáez (born July 6 1980, in Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona province, Catalonia, Spain) is a 7'0" (2.13 m) Spanish basketball player. Gasol played in the Spanish ACB League for FC Barcelona, where he had an average of 11.3 points per game. He now plays in the National Basketball Association for the Memphis Grizzlies, with whom he won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 2002. Selected third overall in the 2001 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, …
- Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson (born September 17 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana) is the current coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, an American professional basketball team. A former player for the New York Knicks, Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association. His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998; during his tenure in Chicago, …
- Lamar Odom
Lamar Joseph Odom (born November 6 1979, in South Jamaica, Queens, New York) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward (also plays both forward spots and is a "point-forward") for the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Lakers. In 1997, Odom was the #1 ranked High School All-American in the United States, …
- Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson is chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson Development Corporation and Magic Johnson Enterprises. Johnson Development Corporation is dedicated to urban revitalization by providing entertainment complexes, restaurants and retail centers in underserved communities nationwide. The company operates 103 Starbucks nationwide, and has also opened six AMC Magic Johnson Theater complexes across the United States.
- Doug Christie
Douglas Dale Christie (born May 9, 1970, in Seattle, Washington) is an American basketball player who is currently a free agent. Christie attended Seattle's Rainier Beach High School and, in his senior year (1988), led the school's varsity boy's basketball team to RB's first-ever Washington State championship. He then went on to Pepperdine University where he gained national exposure. He was drafted 17th in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics.
- Derek Fisher
Derek Lamar Fisher (born August 9 1974 in Little Rock, Arkansas) is an American professional basketball player with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was with the Utah Jazz but asked to be released from his contract to care for his 10-month-old daughter, who has cancer. Fisher is a 1992 graduate of Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, and attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
- Andrew Bynum
Andrew Bynum (born October 27, 1987, in Plainsboro, New Jersey) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. Bynum is listed as 7'0" and 275 lbs and plays center. In the 2006-07 NBA season he was the youngest player in the league.
- Ronny Turiaf
Ronny Turiaf (born January 13, 1983 in Le Robert, Martinique) is a French basketball player, selected in the second round (37th pick overall) of the 2005 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. He primarily plays power forward, but also sees playing time at center, particularly when the Lakers' regular centers are injured or in foul trouble. His first name is pronounced as rhyming with "pony". Turiaf spent most of his childhood in Martinique, …
- Kwame Brown
Kwame James Brown (born March 10 1982 in Charleston, South Carolina) is an American NBA player who plays power forward and center for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was the first overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards, and was the first #1 draft pick to be drafted straight out of high school.
- Luke Walton
Luke Theodore Walton (born March 28 1980 in San Diego, California) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His position is small forward. The son of former NBA great Bill Walton, Luke Walton was no stranger to the sport of basketball during his upbringing. His three brothers - Adam, Nathan (who unsuccessfully ran for governor during the 2003 California recall), …
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 's outstanding play on the court thrust him into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1995. After 20 seasons, Kareem is the only player in NBA History to win the MVP award six times and is the NBA's all-time regular season scoring leader. As president of Kareem Productions, he now spends time on his second passion, film making.
- Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Riley (born March 20, 1945) is an American National Basketball Association head coach and team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams and an assistant coach to another. He most recently won the 2006 NBA Championship with the Miami Heat. Prior to his tenure in Miami, he served as head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks.
- Karl Malone
Karl "The Mailman" Anthony Malone (born July 24 1963, in Bernice, Louisiana) is a retired American professional basketball player. He was nicknamed in college as the "Mailman" for his consistency ("the mailman always delivers") and his work in the post. Malone twice won the NBA Most Valuable Player award. He is generally considered one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history, and has scored the second most points in NBA history, …
- Jordan Farmar
Jordan Robert Farmar (born November 30, 1986) is an American professional basketball player and starting point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was previously the starting point guard for the UCLA men's basketball team.
- Robert Horry
Robert Horry (born August 25, 1970 in Harford County, Maryland) is an American National Basketball Association basketball player. He currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs, and has won seven NBA Championships in his career. He is most notable as a clutch playoff shooter, carrying the nickname "Big Shot Rob". He has won seven NBA champions so far during his career: two with the Houston Rockets, three with the Los Angeles Lakers and two with the San Antonio Spurs.
- Jerry West
Jerry Alan West (born May 28, 1938, in Chelyan, West Virginia) is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers. West has also had a successful career as a coach and as an executive. He was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980, and his dribbling silhouette has long been used in the National Basketball Association's official logo. West was a standout in high school and at college, …
- Mike Bibby
Michael (Mike) Bibby (born May 13, 1978 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey) is an American professional basketball point guard for the NBA's Sacramento Kings, and the son of former NBA and UCLA player and former USC basketball coach and current Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach Henry Bibby. He is also the nephew of former Major League Baseball player Jim Bibby. Bibby is a native of Phoenix, Arizona (or Cherry Hill, New Jersey) and attended Shadow Mountain High School.
- Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain (August 21, 1936-October 12, 1999), nicknamed Wilt the Stilt and The Big Dipper, was an American professional National Basketball Association (NBA) basketball player for the Philadelphia / San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; and also played for the Harlem Globetrotters.
- Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton (born July 23 1968, in Oakland, California) is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He is best known for his 12-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics. He has also played with the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Boston Celtics. Payton has played point guard for most of his career.
- Mitch Kupchak
Mitchell "Mitch" Kupchak (born May 24 1954 in Hicksville, New York) is a retired American basketball player and current general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers since the 2000-01 NBA season after predecessor Jerry West moved to the Memphis Grizzlies organization. Kupchak played on the gold medal winning team at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. He was drafted by the Washington Bullets in 1976, and was named to the NBA's All-Rookie team.
- Smush Parker
William Henry "Smush" Parker (born June 1 1981, in New York, New York) is an American professional basketball player, currently a free agent in the NBA. Smush played shooting guard in college, but moved to point guard in the NBA. The name "Smush" was originally his father's nickname and was handed down to him by his uncle Naid (pronounced Nide), who died when Parker was eight years old.
- Kevin Love
Kevin Wesley Love (b. September 7, 1988 in Santa Monica, California), is a college basketball player for the UCLA Bruins.
- Jerry Buss
Gerald Hatten “Jerry” Buss is an American professional basketball team owner, former real estate developer, and poker player.
- Byron Scott
Byron Anton Scott (born March 28 1961 in Ogden, Utah) is a former National Basketball Association All-Star and current head coach of the NBA's New Orleans Hornets. He attended Arizona State University. He was well-known as a player for the Los Angeles Lakers. Scott grew up in Inglewood and played at Morningside High School, in the shadow of what was then the Lakers' home arena, The Forum.
- Chris Mihm
Christopher (Chris) Steven Mihm (born July 16 1979 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. He stands 7 feet tall (213 cm) and weighs 265 pounds (120 kg).
- Tim Thomas
Timothy (Tim) Mark Thomas (born on February 26 1977, in Paterson, New Jersey) is an American professional basketball player in the NBA for the Los Angeles Clippers. After spending one year at Villanova he was drafted seventh overall by the New Jersey Nets in the 1997 NBA Draft and immediately traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for the Sixers' draft pick Keith Van Horn. In 1999, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks.
- Trevor Ariza
Trevor Anthony Ariza (born June 30 1985 in Miami, Florida) is an American professional basketball player in the NBA for the Orlando Magic. After a college career at UCLA, Ariza was a second round draft choice (43rd overall) of the New York Knicks in the 2004 NBA Draft. Ariza attended Westchester High School in Los Angeles, where as a junior he along with teammate and fellow NBA player Hassan Adams led the Comets to California State Champions.
- Elgin Baylor
Elgin Gay Baylor (born September 16, 1934 in Washington, D.C.) is a retired American basketball player who played 13 seasons as a forward for the NBA's Minneapolis Lakers/Los Angeles Lakers. Baylor was a gifted shooter, a strong rebounder, and an accomplished passer. Reknowned for his acrobatic maneuvers on the court, Baylor regularly dazzled Lakers fans with his trademark hanging jump shots. He is regarded as one of the game's all-time greats.
- Bill Simmons
Bill Simmons (born 1969), best known as The Sports Guy, is a columnist for "Page2" on ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine. His ESPN.com column is notable for being written from the viewpoint of a fan rather than an impartial journalist. Simmons aims for humor in his columns, often using extended analogies and references to pop culture (especially from the 1980s and 1990s). Simmons has earned a love/hate relationship with his readers, …
- James Worthy
James Ager Worthy (born February 27 1961 in Gastonia, North Carolina) is an American former college and professional basketball player. Standing 6 ft 9 in (2.05 m), he played small forward.
- Javaris Crittenton
Javaris Crittenton (born December 31 1987) is an American professional basketball player and point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was previously the starting point guard for the Georgia Tech men's basketball team.
- Bill Walton
William Theodore Walton III, better known as Bill Walton (born November 5 1952), is a former American basketball player and current television sportscaster. He is the father of current Los Angeles Lakers player Luke Walton. Walton was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame on May 10, 1993.
- Maurice Evans
Maurice Eugene Evans (born November 8 1978, in Wichita, Kansas) is an American professional basketball player in the NBA currently with the Los Angeles Lakers. A 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) swingman, Evans weighs 220 lb (100 kg). Evans, known for his strong defense and athleticism, played collegiately at Wichita State University for two seasons, but philosophical differences with then coach Randy Smithson caused him to transfer to the University of Texas at Austin.
- Rick Fox
Ulrich Alexander (Rick) Fox (born July 24 1969 in Toronto, Canada) is a Canadian television actor and retired professional basketball player.
- Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol Sáez is a Spanish professional basketball player for Akasvayu Girona. He was drafted in the second round, 48th overall, by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2007 NBA Draft. He stands and is the younger brother of NBA player Pau Gasol. Gasol played high school basketball for the Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis, Tennessee, and was part of the Spanish team which won the FIBA World Championship in 2006.
- Tyronn Lue
Tyronn Jamar Lue (born on May 3, 1977 in Mexico, Missouri) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays point guard for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association. Tyronn Lue attended Raytown High School in Missouri. He later went to University of Nebraska, where he attended through his Junior year. He played basketball and studied Sociology. He finished his Nebraska career ranked third on the all-time list in assists (432), …
- Brian Cook
Brian Joshua Cook (born December 4, 1980 in Lincoln, Illinois) is a power forward for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. Cook was drafted out of the University of Illinois with the 24th pick of the first round of the 2003 NBA Draft. He led his high school team, the Lincoln Community High School Railsplitters, to the quarterfinals of the Illinois High School Association class AA state boys basketball tournament
- Eddie Jones
Eddie Charles Jones (born October 20 1971 in Pompano Beach, Florida) is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Miami Heat. Jones played college basketball at Temple University alongside guard and future NBA player Aaron McKie. He was selected 10th overall in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. In his rookie season he averaged 14.0 points per game and 2.05 steals per game, and played in 64 games, 58 of which he started.