Home / Sports / Lakers' 506 Players: The Unsung Heroes
Lakers' 506 Players: The Unsung Heroes
9 Jun
Summary
- Lakers have had 506 players since their Minneapolis days.
- Mel McCants played 13 games for the Lakers in one season.
- McCants averaged 1.7 points per game for the Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers franchise, tracing its origins back to the Detroit Gems in 1946, has seen 506 players don its uniform through the 2024-25 season. As the Lakers celebrate their 80th year, a retrospective is underway, examining the careers of all who have represented the team.
One such player is Mel McCants, who joined the Lakers after a successful college career at Purdue University. McCants averaged 12.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game for Purdue, helping them win back-to-back Big Ten Conference titles.
Undrafted in 1989, McCants signed with the Lakers as a free agent. During his single NBA season, the 6-foot-8 forward played in 13 games, averaging 1.7 points and 0.5 rebounds in limited minutes. He later played for the Sioux City Skyforce in the Continental Basketball Association.
