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The Los Angeles Lakers are the most prestigious team in the NBA. They have been to a record 32 NBA Finals, winning 17 of them. Because of that, the team has obviously had a lot of talent throughout their existence. A number of the best players in NBA history came to Los Angeles at some point, whether that was through free agency, trades, or the NBA Draft.
When it comes to the draft specifically, the Lakers have a number of hits. Magic Johnson, Jerry West, James Worthy, and Elgin Baylor, for example, were all drafted by the team. Even Kobe Bryant was acquired ahead of his rookie season on draft day via a trade.
The Lakers have also done so much winning that they've pretty consistently drafted near the bottom of the first round. However, the team hasn't been perfect when it comes to their draft decisions. So check out the gallery to see the 10 worst NBA Draft day mistakes in Lakers history.
10. Lonzo Ball – 2017
The Lakers have been playing in Los Angeles since 1960. Even before that, they were a powerhouse in Minneapolis dating back to their NBL and BAA days in the '40s and '50s. With such a long and extensive history, a lot of the players on this list will be names that most fans don't recognize. The Lakers haven't had all that many massive draft busts, either.
Fans will remember Lonzo Ball, though. Ball isn't a bad player, but he hasn't lived up to the expectations of a No. 2 overall pick, which is what the Lakers made him in 2017.
Most of Ball's problems since his days with the Lakers have been caused by injuries. His time on the hardwood was limited dating back to his Lakers days, too. Ball, who was a local kid, only played in 52 games during his rookie season and 47 games in year two.
He was a great playmaker and impressive defender, but he wasn't good enough to avoid being traded. The Lakers moved Ball as a part of the package for Anthony Davis.
The power forward helped the Lakers win a championship alongside LeBron James, so it worked out for Los Angeles in the long run. Still, No. 2 picks are meant to be perennial All-Stars, not role players with flawed shooting mechanics.
9. David Rivers – 1988
David Rivers was a star basketball player in Europe. He was a EuroLeague champion, steals leader, and assists leader. He was also a EuroStars MVP, an Italian Cup winner, a two-time Greek League champion, a Greek League MVP, a French League Champion, and a two-time Turkish League Champion.
While he was made for the international game, his skill set wasn't viable in the NBA. Before the success overseas, the Lakers drafted Rivers 25th overall in 1988.
He played one season with the team, but he didn't do enough for Los Angeles to protect him from the expansion draft, where he was swooped up by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Rivers didn't make the Timberwolves roster and was out of the NBA not long after.
8. Jalen Hood-Schifino – 2023
Another recent miss for the Lakers was Jalen Hood-Schifino. Drafted 17th overall in 2023, Hood-Schifino only scored 38 total points in a Lakers uniform. He saw 123 minutes of court time before Los Angeles gave up on him and traded him away.
Granted, the Indiana product was used in a deal for Luka Doncic, and that trade is considered one of the biggest NBA trade fleeces ever. Even so, Hood-Schifino had shown next to no promise early on in his career. He wasn't included in the trade as a legitimate bargaining chip but was instead thrown in as a sweetener.
7. Travis Grant – 1972
Travis Grant was one of the greatest NAIA basketball players ever, but his lack of high-level collegiate experience may have cost him at the professional level. The 1972 13th overall pick played just 36 games for the Lakers before they waived him to make room on the roster for Connie Hawkins.
Grant went on to have a massive season in the ABA, as he scored 25.2 points per game in 1974-75 with the San Diego Conquistadors. Despite that, his professional career as a whole would last just four seasons.
6. Javaris Crittenton – 2007
Javaris Crittenton was drafted 19th overall in 2007. The succeeding offseason, he was traded in a package for Pau Gasol. The Lakers were able to turn yet another failed draft pick into a star veteran via the trade market. Crittenton's rookie campaign was underwhelming, though, and what followed was much worse.
In 2011, Crittenton was charged with murder and eventually pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a firearm and voluntary manslaughter with a weapon. He was released from prison in 2023.
5. Sam Jacobson – 1998
The Lakers walked out of the 1997 NBA Draft with Bryant. They didn't have the same luck the next year, as their top pick was Sam Jacobson in 1998. The Minnesota product played two games as a rookie and then three games in year two with the Lakers.
4. Wayne Yates – 1961
The pressure was on for Wayne Yates, being that he was the Lakers' initial first-round pick following the selection of Jerry West. Unfortunately, Yates didn't live up to the hype after being drafted fifth overall in 1961. He'd only play one NBA season, a season in which he averaged 1.9 points per game on just 29.5% from the field. Yates' calling was in coaching, as he coached at Memphis State and Northwestern State after his brief professional basketball career ended.
3. Earl Jones – 1984
Cracking the Lakers' rotation in the '80s wasn't easy, considering the team was in the midst of their Showtime-era dynasty. This was the case for Earl Jones. He was drafted 23rd overall in 1984, but Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bob McAdoo were ahead of him on the depth chart at the center position. It led to Jones being limited to two games, seven minutes, and zero points scored. Jones was then traded for future considerations at season's end.
2. Jim Fritsche – 1953
One of the Lakers' first-ever draft picks, long before they called Los Angeles home, was Jim Fritsche. At the time, players were often drafted to the NBA from a local school, and Fritsche was born in Minnesota and played his college ball at Hamline in Saint Paul. He did not become a hometown hero once at the professional level, as his Minneapolis career lasted just two games and amounted to just one point scored.
1. Roger Strickland – 1963
The 1963 NBA Draft was on April 30th of that year. The Lakers drafted Roger Strickland eighth overall, but he didn't even make it to the regular season with the team. The Lakers waived Strickland on Sept. 25. He was picked up by the Baltimore Bullets, but he only played one game for that team before his NBA career was over.
