- 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.
- 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, …
- 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), …
- 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, …
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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, …
- 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.
- 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, …
- 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.
- 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, …
- Rick Fox
Ulrich Alexander (Rick) Fox (born July 24 1969 in Toronto, Canada) is a Canadian television actor and retired professional basketball player.
- 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.
- 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.
- Caron Butler
James Caron Butler, known as Caron Butler (pronounced "Kuh-RONN") (born March 13 1980, in Racine, Wisconsin), is an American professional basketball player, currently starting at small forward for the NBA's Washington Wizards.
- 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.
- 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.
- Glen Rice
Glen Anthony Rice (born May 28 1967, in Flint, Michigan) is a retired American NBA basketball player. Rice was a three-time NBA All-Star small forward well known for his pinpoint shooting accuracy, ranking 4th in NBA history with 1,559 three-point field goals made during his 15-year career. Rice has been a player on both a team that won an NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship and a team that won an NBA Championship.
- 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.
- 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.
- Dennis Rodman
In 1988, Rodman seemed to show even more star potential, crashing the boards more and defending better than before. In 1989, he was finally recognized for his work by being named Defensive Player of the Year, the first of his two consecutive DPOY awards. He finished second to Laimbeer in rebounding on the team, and Rodman helped the Pistons put away the young Chicago Bulls Chicago Bulls
- 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).
- 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.
- Vlade Divac
Vlade Divac (born February 3 1968, in Prijepolje, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (now Serbia)) is a retired Serbian professional basketball player who spent most of his career in the United States' NBA. At 7'1" he played at center and was known for his deft passing skills.
- 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.
- Devean George
Devean Jamar George (born August 29 1977 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. He typically plays small forward but because of his athleticism and defensive activity, can defend many shooting guards as well. He attended high school at Benilde-St. Margaret's School in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, where he played basketball.
- Michael Cooper
Michael Jerome Cooper (born April 15 1956 in Los Angeles, California) is currently the head coach of the Women's National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Sparks. He is also a former NBA player, playing his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers, and has coached in both the NBA and the WNBA. A junior college transfer to the University of New Mexico Lobos for two season, 1976-78, Cooper was named first team All Western Athletic Conference.
- 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.
- 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.
- Aaron McKie
Aaron Fitzgerald McKie (born October 2 1972, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA. McKie is a combo guard, playing at either point guard or shooting guard.
- Kurt Rambis
Darrell Kurt Rambis (born February 25, 1958 in Cupertino, California) is an American former professional basketball player and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. He graduated from Santa Clara University and then played in Greece with AEK Athens BC and won the Greek Cup in 1981. His number is retired in Cupertino High School. Rambis spent most of his 14 seasons in the NBA with the Lakers, winning championships in 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988.
- Travis Knight
Travis Knight (born September 13 1974 in Salt Lake City, Utah) is an American professional basketball player who was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the 1st round (29th overall) of the 1996 NBA Draft. A 7'0" center from the University of Connecticut, Knight played in 7 NBA seasons from 1996 to 2003. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. In his NBA career, Knight played in 371 games and scored a total of 1,276 points.
- Cedric Ceballos
In 2002, Ceballos signed with Israeli team Hapoel Tel Aviv, but was waived. Thereafter, the Lokomotiv Mineralyne Vody of Russia signed him. In 2004, the Los Angeles Stars of the ABA signed him. Currently, Ceballos is the in-arena emcee for the Phoenix Suns, and the co-host of Nothin' But Net, a weekly web show on Suns.com. In addition, he is a coach for the Phoenix Flame of the IBL.
- 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
- 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), …
- Kareem Rush
Kareem Lamar Rush is an American professional basketball player positioned at shooting guard currently under contract with the Indiana Pacers. Rush entered the 2002 NBA Draft after his junior season at Missouri and was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the 20th pick overall, despite being labeled as a late lottery pick prior to the pre-draft camp. The Raptors immediately traded his rights to the Los Angeles Lakers, …
- Ron Harper
Ronald Harper (born January 20, 1964 in Dayton, Ohio) is a retired American professional basketball player whose career spanned from 1986 to 2001 with four teams in the NBA. At 6'6" (1.98 m), his position was shooting guard/point guard. After attending Miami University, he was selected 8th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1986 NBA Draft. He averaged 22.9 points per game in his rookie season. After initially spending 3 seasons at the Cavaliers, …
- Nick van Exel
Nickey (Nick) Maxwell Van Exel (born November 27 1971 in Kenosha, Wisconsin) is an American former professional basketball player in the NBA. Van Exel, a 6'1" left-handed point guard, was most well known for his flashy style of play and his ability to hit critical shots during games.