# Los Angeles Lakers draft history

The Los Angeles Lakers began their history in the National Basketball League (NBL) during the 1946–47 season under the name of the Detroit Gems but moved to Minnesota and became the Minneapolis Lakers the following season. Prior to the 1948–49 BAA season the franchise moved to the Basketball Association of America (BAA) which later merged with the NBL to form the National Basketball Association). The Lakers moved to Los Angeles for the 1959–60 NBA season, where they have been located ever since. The Minneapolis Lakers took its official name from Minnesota's nickname, Land of 10,000 Lakes.
To help the Lakers acquire local players, territorial picks were instituted from its inception in 1950 until 1965. Territorial picks were used as a type of special draft choice used in the NBA Draft. Prior to the league's draft, a team could forfeit its first-round draft pick and select a player from within 50 miles (80 km). Territorial picks were then eliminated when the draft was revamped in 1966. Before the 1989 NBA draft, the draft had more than two rounds. After 1989, the NBA agreed with the National Basketball Players' Association to limit drafts to two rounds. Teams can also trade their picks, so some years a team could have more than or less than two picks.
The Lakers selected Chuck Hanger with their first pick, ninth overall in the 1948 BAA draft. The Lakers got their first overall draft pick in 1958 by choosing Elgin Baylor, who went on to be selected as the only NBA Rookie of the Year to be on the Lakers. The Lakers also drafted Magic Johnson in 1979 with their second first overall pick, who was rated the greatest NBA point guard of all time by ESPN in 2007. The Lakers had no first-round draft picks in 1967, 1976, 1978, 1980, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. The Lakers had no first or second-round draft picks from 1983, 1987, and 2001. Throughout the years, the Lakers had traded away some of their picks as well as traded for other teams' picks. As a result of the various trades, the Los Angeles Lakers had five first and second-round picks in 1979. In 1996, GM Jerry West orchestrated a draft day trade in which a High School Kobe Bryant was acquired by the Los Angeles Lakers for Vlade Divac. This same year, Jerry West had acquired a FA Shaquille O’Neal in a blockbuster signing.

## Key

| Abbreviation | Meaning | Abbreviation | Meaning |
| T | Territorial pick | G | Guard |
| PG | Point guard | SG | Shooting guard |
| F | Forward | SF | Small forward |
| PF | Power forward | C | Center |
| * | Hall of Famer | (#) | Retired Lakers' Number |
| § | NBA All-star | | First Overall NBA Draft Pick |

## BAA/NBA selections

| Year | Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | Position | From |
| 1948-11948 | 1 | 9 | Chuck Hanger | United States | F | California |
| 1949-T1949 | 0T | — | Vern Mikkelsen* | United States | F/C | Hamline |
| 1950-11950 | 1 | 10 | Kevin O'Shea | United States | G | Notre Dame |
| 1951-T1951 | 0T | — | Whitey Skoog | United States | G | Minnesota |
| 1951-T1951 | 2 | 19 | Lew Hitch | United States | F/C | Kansas State |
| 1952-11952 | 1 | 9 | Clyde Lovellette* | United States | C/F | Kansas |
| 1953-11953 | 1 | 7 | Jim Fritsche | United States | F/C | Hamline |
| 1954-11954 | 1 | 9 | Ed Kalafat | United States | C/F | Minnesota |
| 1954-11954 | 2 | 18 | Al Bianchi | United States | G | Bowling Green State |
| 1955-T1955 | 0T | — | Dick Garmaker | United States | G/F | Minnesota |
| 1955-T1955 | 2 | 12 | Chuck Mencel | United States | F/G | Minnesota |
| 1956-11956 | 1 | 3 | Jim Paxson Sr. | United States | F/G | Dayton |
| 1957-11957 | 1 | 3 | Jim Krebs | United States | C/F | Southern Methodist |
| 1957-11957 | 2 | 11 | Harv Schmidt | United States | F | Illinois |
| 1958-11958 | 1 | 1 | Elgin Baylor*§ (22) | United States | F | Seattle |
| 1959-11959 | 1 | 3 | Tom Hawkins | United States | F | Notre Dame |
| 1959-11959 | 2 | 8 | Steve Hamilton | United States | F/C | Morehead State |
| 1959-11959 | 2 | 10 | Rudy LaRusso§ | United States | F/C | Dartmouth |
| 1960-11960 | 1 | 2 | Jerry West* (44) | United States | G | West Virginia |
| 1961-11961 | 1 | 5 | Wayne Yates | United States | C | Memphis State |
| 1961-11961 | 2 | 13 | Fred Sawyer | United States | C | Louisville |
| 1962-11962 | 1 | 6 | LeRoy Ellis | United States | C | St. John's |
| 1962-11962 | 2 | 15 | Gene Wiley | United States | C | Wichita |
| 1963-11963 | 1 | 7 | Roger Strickland | United States | F | Jacksonville |
| 1963-11963 | 2 | 13 | Jim King (from Cincinnati) | United States | G | Tulsa |
| 1963-11963 | 2 | 16 | Mel Gibson | United States | G | Western Carolina |
| 1964-T1964 | 0T | — | Mahdi Abdul-Rahman | United States | G | UCLA |
| 1964-T1964 | 2 | 12 | Cotton Nash | United States | F | Kentucky |
| 1965-T1965 | 0T | — | Gail Goodrich* §(25) | United States | G | UCLA |
| 1965-T1965 | 2 | 16 | John Fairchild | United States | F | Brigham Young |
| 1966-11966 | 1 | 7 | Jerry Chambers | United States | F | Utah |
| 1966-11966 | 2 | 17 | Hank Finkel | United States | C | Dayton |
| 1967-11967 | 2 | 16 | Randolph Mahaffey | United States | F | Clemson |
| 1968-11968 | 1 | 11 | Bill Hewitt | United States | F | USC |
| 1969-11969 | 1 | 12 | Willie McCarter | United States | G | Drake |
| 1969-11969 | 1 | 15 | Rick Roberson | United States | C/PF | Cincinnati |
| 1969-11969 | 2 | 27 | Dick Garrett | United States | G | Southern Illinois |
| 1970-11970 | 1 | 13 | Jim McMillian | United States | F | Columbia |
| 1970-11970 | 2 | 30 | Earnie Killum | United States | G | Stetson |
| 1971-11971 | 1 | 13 | Jim Cleamons | United States | G | Ohio State |
| 1972-11972 | 1 | 13 | Travis Grant | United States | F | Kentucky State |
| 1972-11972 | 2 | 16 | Jim Price (from Cleveland) | United States | G | Louisville |
| 1972-11972 | 2 | 22 | Paul Stovall (from Baltimore) | United States | F | Arizona State |
| 1973-11973 | 1 | 5 | Kermit Washington§ (from Cleveland) | United States | C/PF | American |
| 1973-11973 | 2 | 23 | Billy Schaeffer | United States | F | St. John's |
| 1973-11973 | 2 | 31 | Jim Chones (from Baltimore) | United States | C/PF | Marquette |
| 1973-11973 | 2 | 34 | Pete Perry | United States | C | Pan American |
| 1974-11974 | 1 | 12 | Brian Winters§ | United States | SG/SF | South Carolina |
| 1974-11974 | 2 | 21 | Billy Knight§ | United States | G/F | Pittsburgh |
| 1975-11975 | 1 | 2 | David Meyers | United States | PF/C | UCLA |
| 1975-11975 | 1 | 8 | Junior Bridgeman | United States | SF/SG | Louisville |
| 1976-21976 | 2 | 21 | Earl Tatum (from Phoenix) | United States | G/F | Marquette |
| 1977-11977 | 1 | 6 | Kenny Carr | United States | F | North Carolina State |
| 1977-11977 | 1 | 15 | Brad Davis (from San Antonio) | United States | G | Maryland |
| 1977-11977 | 1 | 22 | Norm Nixon§ | United States | PG | Duquesne |
| 1978-21978 | 2 | 26 | Ron Carter | United States | G | VMI |
| 1978-21978 | 2 | 38 | Lew Massey (from Kansas City) | United States | SG | UNC Charlotte |
| 1979-11979 | 1 | 1 | Earvin Johnson* §(32) | United States | PG | Michigan State |
| 1979-11979 | 1 | 14 | Brad Holland | United States | G | UCLA |
| 1979-11979 | 2 | 25 | Oliver Mack | United States | SG | East Carolina |
| 1979-11979 | 2 | 39 | Victor King (from Denver) | United States | PF | Louisiana Tech |
| 1979-11979 | 2 | 41 | Mark Young (from Buffalo) | United States | PF | Fairfield |
| 1980-21980 | 2 | 31 | Wayne Robinson (from Cleveland) | United States | F | Virginia Tech |
| 1980-21980 | 2 | 37 | Butch Carter (from Denver) | United States | G | Indiana |
| 1981-11981 | 1 | 19 | Mike McGee | United States | SG/SF | Michigan |
| 1981-11981 | 2 | 39 | Harvey Knuckles (from Cleveland) | United States | SF | Toledo |
| 1981-11981 | 2 | 42 | Elvis Rolle | United States | C/PF | Florida State |
| 1982-11982 | 1 | 1 | James Worthy*§ (42) (from Cleveland) | United States | SF | North Carolina |
| 1984-11984 | 1 | 23 | Earl Jones | United States | C | District of Columbia |
| 1985-11985 | 1 | 23 | A.C. Green§ | United States | PF/C | Oregon State |
| 1986-11986 | 1 | 23 | Ken Barlow | United States | F | Notre Dame |
| 1988 | 1 | 25 | David Rivers | United States | PG | Notre Dame |
| 1989 | 1 | 26 | Vlade Divac§ | Yugoslavia (now Serbia) | C | KK Partizan (Yugoslavia) |
| 1990 | 1 | 27 | Elden Campbell | United States | PF/C | Clemson |
| 1990 | 2 | 51 | Tony Smith (from San Antonio) | United States | G | Marquette |
| 1991 | 2 | 52 | Anthony Jones | United States | SG | Oral Roberts |
| 1992 | 1 | 15 | Anthony Peeler | United States | SG | Missouri |
| 1992 | 2 | 36 | Duane Cooper | United States | G | USC |
| 1993 | 1 | 12 | George Lynch | United States | PF | North Carolina |
| 1993 | 2 | 37 | Nick Van Exel§ | United States | PG | Cincinnati |
| 1994 | 1 | 10 | Eddie Jones§ | United States | SG | Temple |
| 1995 | 2 | 37 | Frankie King | United States | PG | Western Carolina |
| 1996 | 1 | 24 | Derek Fisher | United States | PG | Arkansas–Little Rock |
| 1997 | 2 | 51 | DeJuan Wheat | United States | PG | Louisville |
| 1997 | 2 | 54 | Paul Rogers (from New York) | Australia | C | Gonzaga |
| 1998 | 1 | 26 | Sam Jacobson | United States | SG/SF | Minnesota |
| 1998 | 2 | 31 | Ruben Patterson (from Vancouver) | United States | SF | Cincinnati |
| 1998 | 2 | 45 | Toby Bailey (traded to Phoenix) | United States | SG | UCLA |
| 1999 | 1 | 23 | Devean George | United States | SF | Augsburg |
| 1999 | 2 | 30 | John Celestand (from Vancouver) | United States | SG | Villanova |
| 2000 | 1 | 29 | Mark Madsen | United States | PF/C | Stanford |
| 2002 | 1 | 27 | Chris Jefferies (traded to Toronto) | United States | SF | Fresno State |
| 2003 | 1 | 24 | Brian Cook | United States | PF | Illinois |
| 2003 | 2 | 32 | Luke Walton | United States | SF | Arizona |
| 2004 | 1 | 27 | Sasha Vujačić | Slovenia | G | Pallalcesto Amatori Udine (Italy) |
| 2004 | 2 | 56 | Marcus Douthit | United States | PF/C | Providence |
| 2005 | 1 | 10 | Andrew Bynum§ | United States | C | St. Joseph HS (New Jersey) |
| 2005 | 2 | 37 | Ronny Turiaf (from New York via Atlanta and Charlotte) | France | PF/C | Gonzaga |
| 2005 | 2 | 39 | Von Wafer | United States | G | Florida State |
| 2006 | 1 | 26 | Jordan Farmar (from Miami) | United States | PG | UCLA |
| 2006 | 2 | 51 | Cheikh Samb (traded to Detroit) | Senegal | C | WTC Cornellà (Spain, 2nd division) |
| 2007 | 1 | 19 | Javaris Crittenton | United States | PG | Georgia Tech |
| 2007 | 2 | 40 | Sun Yue (from Charlotte) | China | PG | Beijing Olympians (ABA) |
| 2007 | 2 | 48 | Marc Gasol§ | Spain | C | Akasvayu Girona (Liga Española de Baloncesto) |
| 2008 | 2 | 58 | Joe Crawford | United States | SG | Kentucky |
| 2009 | 1 | 29 | Toney Douglas (traded to New York) | United States | G | Florida State |
| 2009 | 2 | 42 | Patrick Beverley (from Charlotte; traded to Miami) | United States | G | Arkansas |
| 2009 | 2 | 59 | Chinemelu Elonu | United States | PF/C | Texas A&M |
| 2010 | 2 | 43 | Devin Ebanks (from Memphis) | United States | F | West Virginia |
| 2010 | 2 | 58 | Derrick Caracter | United States | PF/C | UTEP |
| 2011 | 2 | 41 | Darius Morris (from Golden State Warriors via New Jersey Nets) | United States | PG | Michigan (So.) |
| 2011 | 2 | 46 | Andrew Goudelock (from New York Knicks) | United States | SG | College of Charleston (Sr.) |
| 2011 | 2 | 56 | Chukwudiebere Maduabum (traded to Denver Nuggets) | Nigeria | SF | Bakersfield Jam (D-League) |
| 2011 | 2 | 58 | Ater Majok (from Miami Heat) | Australia | C | Gold Coast Blaze (Australia) |
| 2012 | 2 | 60 | Robert Sacre (from Chicago via Milwaukee and Brooklyn) | Canada | C | Gonzaga (Sr.) |
| 2013 | 2 | 48 | Ryan Kelly | United States | PF | Duke (Sr.) |
| 2014 | 1 | 7 | Julius Randle§ | United States | PF | Kentucky |
| 2015 | 1 | 2 | D'Angelo Russell§ | United States | PG | Ohio State |
| 2015 | 1 | 27 | Larry Nance Jr. | United States | PF | Wyoming |
| 2015 | 2 | 34 | Anthony Brown | United States | SF | Stanford |
| 2016 | 1 | 2 | Brandon Ingram§ | United States | SF | Duke (Fr.) |
| 2016 | 2 | 32 | Ivica Zubac | Croatia | C | Mega Leks (Serbia) |
| 2017 | 1 | 2 | Lonzo Ball | United States | PG | UCLA |
| 2017 | 1 | 28 | Tony Bradley (traded to Utah) | United States | C | Utah |
| 2018 | 1 | 25 | Moritz Wagner (from Cleveland via Portland and Cleveland) | Germany | PF | Michigan |
| 2018 | 2 | 39 | Isaac Bonga (from New York via Philadelphia) | Germany | PG | Skyliners Frankfurt (Germany) |
| 2018 | 2 | 47 | Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (from Denver via Utah and Chicago) | Ukraine | SG | Kansas |
| 2019 | 1 | 4 | De'Andre Hunter (traded to Atlanta) | United States | SF | Virginia (So.) |
| 2019 | 2 | 46 | Talen Horton-Tucker (from Orlando via Brooklyn, Charlotte and Memphis) | United States | SF | Iowa State (Fr.) |
| 2020 | 1 | 28 | Jaden McDaniels (traded to Minnesota via Oklahoma City) | United States | SF | Washington (Fr.) |
| 2021 | 1 | 22 | Isaiah Jackson (traded to Indiana) | United States | C/PF | Kentucky (Fr.) |
| 2022 | 2 | 35 | Max Christie (from Indiana via Milwaukee to Orlando) | United States | SG | Michigan State (Fr.) |
| 2023 | 1 | 17 | Jalen Hood-Schifino | United States | PG/SG | Indiana |
| 2024 | 1 | 17 | Dalton Knecht | United States | SF | Tennessee |
| 2024 | 2 | 55 | Bronny James | United States | SG | USC |