Los Angeles Lakers: Top 10 point guards in franchise history

By Jason Reed | Sep 28, 2017

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 27: (L-R) Former Lakers champions Jerry West, Norm Nixon, Jaamal Wilkes, James Worthy, Michael Cooper, Magic Johnson, A.C. Green, Rick Fox and Robert Horry stand on the court during the 2009 NBA Championship ring ceremony for the Los Angeles Lakers before the season opening game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on October 27, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers won 99-92. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

2. Jerry West

The logo himself, Jerry West, is a pioneer for the game of basketball and would be the best point guard on almost every other NBA team except the Los Angeles Lakers. In Los Angeles, there was an even bigger star that came around after West retired, but that does not take away from the legacy that West left behind not only on the Lakers but the game of basketball.

West played for the Lakers for his entire career, starting in 1960 and retiring in 1974. The logo served as the starting point guard for the Lakers in their first season in Los Angeles and would define what it meant to be a Los Angeles Laker. If it wasn’t for the domination of the Bill Russell led Celtics, West could have gone down with far more than his one title ring.

Still, West was inducted into the Hall of Fame after making 12 All-NBA teams, 14 all-star teams and five All-Defensive teams. West averaged 27.0 points, 6.7 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game in route to becoming, at the time, the Lakers’ all-time leading scorer. Although Kobe Bryant did take that honor, West also ranks third in assists and third in total games played.

Any fan that ever watches any sort of NBA action will always have a piece of Jerry West with them. West literally embodies the NBA logo (although he no longer wants to), and will for many, many years to come. It is a shame that West had to play for the same organization as arguably the best point guard of all-time, or else he would be a shoo-in for first on this list.

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