Last Updated on July 29, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

League Search Page > NBA > Los Angeles Lakers > Roster & Statistics

The 1980–81 Los Angeles Lakers relied on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s dominant interior scoring and rebounding, while Jamaal Wilkes provided efficient wing scoring and Norm Nixon directed the offense as the primary playmaker. Magic Johnson delivered elite all-around production despite appearing in only 37 games, and Michael Cooper added versatile defensive play and secondary playmaking. Efficient shooting, balanced scoring, and strong ball movement remained the foundation of the Lakers’ offensive identity.

Roster

No. Player Pos Height Weight Birthdate College/From
21 Michael Cooper G/F 6-5 170 lbs April 15, 1956 New Mexico
42 James Edwards C 7-0 225 lbs Nov 22, 1955 Washington
32 Magic Johnson G 6-9 215 lbs Aug 14, 1959 Michigan State
31 Mark Landsberger F 6-8 215 lbs May 21, 1955 Arizona State
30 Ron Boone G 6-2 200 lbs Sep 6, 1946 Idaho State
24 Lou Hudson G 6-5 210 lbs Jul 11, 1944 Minnesota
25 Jim Brewer F 6-9 210 lbs Dec 18, 1951 Minnesota
22 Norm Nixon G 6-2 185 lbs Oct 11, 1955 Duquesne
15 Brad Holland G 6-6 185 lbs Dec 6, 1956 UCLA
5 Marty Byrnes F 6-7 215 lbs Apr 30, 1956 Syracuse
52 Jamaal Wilkes F 6-6 190 lbs May 2, 1953 UCLA
50 Butch Carter G 6-5 195 lbs Jun 11, 1958 Indiana
33 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar C 7-2 225 lbs Apr 16, 1947 UCLA
35 Earl Tatum G/F 6-5 185 lbs Jul 26, 1953 Marquette

Regular Season Per Game

Player Pos Age G GS MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FGA FG% 3PA 3P% FTA FT%
Norm Nixon PG 25 79 79 37.5 17.1 2.9 8.8 1.8 0.1 3.6 15.3 .476 0.2 .167 3.2 .778
Jamaal Wilkes SF 27 81 81 37.4 22.6 5.4 2.9 1.5 0.4 2.6 18.5 .526 0.2 .077 4.1 .758
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar C 33 80 80 37.2 26.2 10.3 3.4 0.7 2.9 3.1 18.2 .574 0.0 .000 6.9 .766
Magic Johnson SG 21 37 37 37.1 21.6 8.6 8.6 3.4 0.7 3.9 15.9 .532 0.5 .176 6.1 .760
Michael Cooper SG 24 81 81 32.4 9.4 4.1 4.1 1.6 1.0 2.0 8.1 .491 0.2 .211 1.8 .785
Jim Chones PF 31 82 82 31.2 10.8 8.0 1.9 0.5 1.2 1.9 9.2 .503 0.0 .000 2.4 .653
Eddie Jordan PG 26 60 60 16.5 5.1 1.3 3.3 1.2 0.1 2.0 4.7 .430 0.2 .250 1.6 .663
Mark Landsberger PF 25 69 69 15.7 5.7 5.5 0.4 0.3 0.1 0.9 4.7 .502 0.0 .000 1.7 .534
Jim Brewer PF 29 78 78 14.2 2.8 3.6 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.6 2.5 .513 0.0 .000 0.5 .375
Butch Carter SF 22 54 54 12.4 5.6 1.2 1.0 0.4 0.0 0.9 4.6 .462 0.2 .300 1.8 .737
Brad Holland SG 24 41 41 7.2 3.2 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.0 0.8 2.7 .423 0.1 .333 1.2 .714
Tony Jackson PG 23 2 2 7.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 1.5 .333 0.0 — 0.0 —
Alan Hardy SG 23 22 22 5.0 2.3 0.9 0.1 0.0 0.4 0.5 2.7 .373 0.0 — 0.5 .700
Myles Patrick SF 26 3 3 3.0 1.7 0.7 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3 1.7 .400 0.0 — 0.7 .500
Team Totals — — 82 82 241.5 111.2 44.6 28.8 9.9 6.7 19.0 90.0 .512 1.1 .181 25.8 .729

Playoff Per Game

Player Pos Age GP GS Min Pts Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGA FG% 3PA 3P% FTA FT%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar C 33 3 3 44.7 26.7 16.7 4.0 1.0 2.7 3.7 21.7 .462 0.0 .000 9.3 .714
Norm Nixon PG 25 3 3 44.3 19.3 3.7 8.7 0.3 0.3 1.7 16.3 .510 0.0 .000 3.3 .800
Magic Johnson SG 21 3 3 42.3 17.0 13.7 7.0 2.7 1.0 3.7 16.3 .388 0.0 .000 6.7 .650
Jamaal Wilkes SF 27 3 3 37.7 18.0 2.7 1.3 0.3 0.3 1.3 16.0 .438 0.3 .000 6.0 .667
Michael Cooper SG 24 3 3 34.0 10.7 3.3 2.3 2.0 0.0 2.3 6.7 .550 1.0 .000 4.7 .714
Jim Chones PF 31 3 3 22.3 8.0 5.7 0.3 0.3 1.3 1.0 5.7 .588 0.0 .000 2.7 .500
Mark Landsberger PF 25 3 3 10.7 1.7 5.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.3 2.3 .286 0.0 .000 0.3 1.000
Jim Brewer PF 29 3 3 2.3 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0   0.0   0.0  
Eddie Jordan PG 26 2 2 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0   0.0   0.0  
Brad Holland SG 24 1 1 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0   0.0   0.0  

Regular Season Totals

Player Pos Age GP GS Min Pts Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGA FG% 3PA 3P% FTA FT%
Jamaal Wilkes SF 27 81 81 3028 1827 435 235 121 29 207 1495 .526 13 .077 335 .758
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar C 33 80 80 2976 2095 821 272 59 228 249 1457 .574 1 .000 552 .766
Norm Nixon PG 25 79 79 2962 1350 232 696 146 11 285 1210 .476 12 .167 252 .778
Michael Cooper SG 24 81 81 2625 763 336 332 133 78 164 654 .491 19 .211 149 .785
Jim Chones PF 31 82 82 2562 882 657 153 39 96 159 751 .503 4 .000 193 .653
Magic Johnson SG 21 37 37 1371 798 320 317 127 27 143 587 .532 17 .176 225 .760
Jim Brewer PF 29 78 78 1107 217 281 55 43 58 48 197 .513 2 .000 40 .375
Mark Landsberger PF 25 69 69 1086 390 377 27 19 6 65 327 .502 1 .000 116 .534
Eddie Jordan PG 26 60 60 987 306 80 195 74 7 120 279 .430 12 .250 95 .663
Butch Carter SG 22 54 54 672 301 65 52 23 1 50 247 .462 10 .300 95 .737
Brad Holland SG 24 41 41 295 130 29 23 21 1 31 111 .423 3 .333 49 .714
Alan Hardy SG 23 22 22 111 51 19 3 1 9 11 59 .373 0 .000 10 .700
Tony Jackson SG 23 2 2 14 0 2 2 2 0 0 3 .333 0 .000 0  
Myles Patrick PF 26 3 3 9 5 2 1 0 0 1 5 .400 0 .000 2 .500
Team Totals     82   19805 9117 3656 2363 808 551 1533 7382 .512 94 .181 2113 .729

Playoff Totals

Player Pos Age GP GS Min Pts Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGA FG% 3PA 3P% FTA FT%
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar C 33 3 3 134 80 50 12 3 8 11 65 .462 0 .000 28 .714
Norm Nixon PG 25 3 3 133 58 11 26 1 1 5 49 .510 0 .000 10 .800
Magic Johnson SG 21 3 3 127 51 41 21 8 3 11 49 .388 0 .000 20 .650
Jamaal Wilkes SF 27 3 3 113 54 8 4 1 1 4 48 .438 1 .000 18 .667
Michael Cooper SG 24 3 3 102 32 10 7 6 0 7 20 .550 3 .000 14 .714
Jim Chones PF 31 3 3 67 24 17 1 1 4 3 17 .588 0 .000 8 .500
Mark Landsberger PF 25 3 3 32 5 15 0 1 0 1 7 .286 0 .000 1 1.000
Jim Brewer PF 29 3 3 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   0   1 1.000
Eddie Jordan PG 26 2 2 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0   0   0  
Brad Holland SG 24 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0   0   0  
Team Totals         720 304 153 72 21 17 43 255 .463 4 .000 110 .687

HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight

Player Name Role Tier MPG Usage Tier PPG RPG APG STK Impact Index* Notes
Norm Nixon Primary facilitator / secondary scorer 37.5 High 17.1 2.9 8.8 1.9 15.35 Main playmaker; high assist load; contributes defensively; offensive engine alongside Magic.
Jamaal Wilkes Wing scorer / versatile role player 37.4 High 22.6 5.4 2.9 1.9 16.4 Reliable scorer; veteran presence; contributes across multiple facets; defensive activity above average.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Elite post scorer / defensive anchor 37.2 High 26.2 10.3 3.4 3.6 21.75 Team’s offensive and defensive centerpiece; MVP-level production; elite rim protection and rebounding.
Magic Johnson Playmaker / multi-role star 37.1 High 21.6 8.6 8.6 4.1 21.45 Exceptional all-around production; balanced scoring, passing, and defensive activity; rising superstar.
Michael Cooper Perimeter defender / secondary playmaker 32.4 Moderate 9.4 4.1 4.1 2.6 9.6 DPOY-caliber defense; steals and blocks significant; solid contributor in limited usage.
Jim Chones PF / rotation scorer & rebounder 31.2 Moderate 10.8 8.0 1.9 1.7 10.2 Provides scoring and rebounding; rotational impact; contributes to inside presence.
Eddie Jordan Backup PG / situational playmaker 16.5 Low 5.1 1.3 3.3 1.3 5.0 Spot minutes; assists-oriented; contributes defensively; minor scoring role.
Mark Landsberger Backup PF / rebounding & defense 15.7 Low 5.7 5.5 0.4 0.4 5.8 Effective rebounder in limited minutes; defensive presence; modest scoring.
Jim Brewer Defensive PF / limited scoring 14.2 Low 2.8 3.6 0.7 1.3 4.2 Focused on defense and rebounding; low usage; hustle role.
Butch Carter Reserve wing / situational scorer 12.4 Low 5.6 1.2 1.0 0.4 4.6 Spot minutes; small scoring bursts; defensive contributions limited.
Brad Holland Bench SG / minor contributor 7.2 Low 3.2 0.7 0.6 0.5 2.5 Limited offensive role; minimal impact on court.
Tony Jackson Spot PG / minimal role 7.0 Low 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 2.0 Minimal minutes; very small role.
Alan Hardy Deep bench SG / situational defense 5.0 Low 2.3 0.9 0.1 0.4 1.85 Spot minutes; limited contribution; primarily defensive or situational.
Myles Patrick Deep bench SF / minimal usage 3.0 Low 1.7 0.7 0.3 0.0 1.35 Negligible impact; very limited minutes.