NBA History: 5 Greatest Los Angeles Lakers players since 2000

The Los Angeles Lakers have always been able to get the biggest stars in the NBA to come play for them. Starting from Hall of Fame players like George Mikan and Elgin Baylor in the 1950s, followed by Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain soon after and then Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson in the 1980s and 90s, LA was never short of great talent.

The more recent Hall of Fame players have also been an integral part in making this franchise a global one, but here's a look at the five greatest Los Angeles Lakers players since the turn of the century. LeBron James and their latest acquisition Anthony Davis have not been taken into consideration for this list.

#5 Derek Fisher

Fisher is not the most liked player in the NBA

Derek Fisher is five-time NBA champion with the Lakers and has won it all alongside Kobe Bryant. Fisher was a dogged player who set the tone for just how hungry that Lakers roster was for the win. He was known for his ability to make shots when it really mattered.

Fisher was a part of five different teams, but was never as successful as he was in his 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. While he was not a high-scoring player, he was a smart player and took shots when he needed to. Fisher averaged only 7.9 points, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game, but his on-court presence was so much more than his numbers.

He was a superb leader and was one of the most vocal players in the locker room, keeping the team together and motivated after losses. Bryant has gone on record calling him his favorite teammate. While Kobe was the face of the franchise, Fisher was the one who ran the team on the court.

Even though Fisher does not have the stats, he was perhaps one of the most influential players for the Lakers in the past two decades and deserves to be recognized for his leadership and the tenacity on the court with which he led the Lakers, alongside Bryant.

#4 Pau Gasol

Another really amazing big man for the Lakers

Pau Gasol played seven seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and that he is on this list is proof of the impact he has had on the Lakers franchise. He won two NBA titles with the Lakers, in 2009 and 2010.

The Lakers traded for a proven star to play alongside Kobe Bryant and the six-time All-Star proved his worth instantly as the Lakers went to three straight NBA Finals since Gasol joined the team. He was an athletic center who could play power forward as well, and was one of the most well-rounded big men in the NBA.

During his time there, Gasol averaged 17.7 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. He was an efficient scorer and used a wide range of skills to beat his opponents. His ability to pass the ball from the post was also a really useful skill for the Lakers to exploit, and he averaged 3.5 assists per game in his seven seasons. He was a great defender and rim protector as well, averaging 1.4 blocks a game.

#3 Lamar Odom

Lamar Odom was one of the best role players there was

The Los Angeles Lakers might be known for the star power they managed to get, but some of their best players in the past decades have been role players who made them championship favorites each year. And Lamar Odom is among the best of them.

Odom played for five NBA teams in his professional career, but had his best years with the Lakers between 2004 to 2011. Odom won two NBA titles with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010. He was also voted the 6th man of the year in 2011, his final year with the Lakers.

His size allowed him to defend multiple positions and he could play both forward spots. He was a solid rebounder. Odom averaged 13.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game in his seven seasons with the Lakers.

He could direct the offense as well and averaged just under four assists with the Lakers. While his numbers might not be flashy, he provided exactly what the Lakers needed at all times and kept the team's interests above his own.

#2 Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille O''Neal was unstoppable with the Lakers

One of the most dominant players of all time, Shaquille O'Neal was an unstoppable force in the eight seasons he spent with the Los Angeles Lakers, starting in 1996.

The 'Big Diesel' joined the Lakers in the prime of his career. He won three straight NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, and was the Finals MVP in all three of those title runs.

He went on to play for the Miami Heat -- where he won another championship, the Phoenix Suns, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics. And yet his best was with the Lakers. He was a 15-time All-Star nominee, a 14-time All-NBA player and a 3-time All-NBA defensive team of the year selection.

In his eight seasons with the Lakers, Shaq averaged 27 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.5 blocks per game. His offensive game and his ability to protect the rim made him one of the best there was and is still probably the greatest big man the Lakers have ever had.

#1 Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant is the best Laker since 2000

Kobe Bryant was one of the most polarizing players during his time in the NBA. The Lakers swore by him and how he played in each game while almost every other fan-base despised him. But he remains a contender for one of the greatest player of all time and is undoubtedly the greatest Lakers player ever.

Kobe won five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and spent all his 20 years with them. He is a two-time NBA Finals MVP and had 18 NBA All-Star call-ups.

He was also a 11-time All-NBA first-team nominee, a two-time All-NBA second team nominee and a two-time All-NBA third team nominee. He even made the All-NBA defensive first team nine times.

Kobe also holds the record for most number of points by a Lakers player, most points scored in a single game by a Lakers player and has seven NBA Finals appearances. One of the fiercest competitors in the game, he averaged 25 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.4 steals over his career. Kobe Bryant is one of the greats to grace the basketball court.