Last Updated on August 5, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Los Angeles Lakers > Roster & Statistics
The Los Angeles Lakers 1997–98 were led by Shaquille O’Neal, whose dominant scoring, rebounding, and interior defense anchored the team, while a young Kobe Bryant emerged as an increasingly important scoring and all-around contributor. Eddie Jones provided efficient perimeter scoring and playmaking, and Nick Van Exel added additional creation from the backcourt. The statistics reflect a balanced, guard-and-center attack built on interior dominance, strong rebounding, and multiple capable offensive playmakers.
Roster
| NO. | PLAYER NAME | POS | HT | WT | DATE OF BIRTH | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Derek Fisher | PG | 6-1 | 200 | August 9, 1974 | Little Rock |
| 5 | Robert Horry | PF | 6-10 | 240 | August 25, 1970 | Alabama |
| 6 | Eddie Jones | SG | 6-6 | 190 | October 20, 1971 | Temple |
| 8 | Kobe Bryant | SF | 6-6 | 212 | August 23, 1978 | — |
| 9 | Nick Van Exel | PG | 6-1 | 170 | November 27, 1971 | Trinity Valley CC, Cincinnati |
| 17 | Rick Fox | SF | 6-7 | 230 | July 24, 1969 | UNC |
| 20 | Jon Barry | SG | 6-4 | 195 | July 25, 1969 | University of the Pacific, Georgia Tech |
| 23 | Mario Bennett | PF | 6-6 | 235 | August 1, 1973 | Arizona State |
| 24 | Shea Seals | SG | 6-5 | 210 | August 26, 1975 | Tulsa |
| 34 | Shaquille O’Neal | C | 7-1 | 325 | March 6, 1972 | LSU |
| 41 | Elden Campbell | PF | 6-11 | 215 | July 23, 1968 | Clemson |
| 43 | Corie Blount | PF | 6-9 | 240 | January 4, 1969 | Cincinnati |
| 45 | Sean Rooks | C | 6-10 | 250 | September 9, 1969 | Arizona |
Regular Season Per Game
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TPG | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaquille O’Neal | C | 25 | 60 | 57 | 36.3 | 28.3 | 11.4 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 19.1 | 11.2 | .584 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11.4 | 6.0 | .527 | |
| Eddie Jones | SG | 26 | 80 | 80 | 36.4 | 16.9 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 12.6 | 6.1 | .484 | 4.6 | 1.8 | .389 | 3.8 | 2.9 | .765 |
| Kobe Bryant | SF | 19 | 79 | 1 | 26.0 | 15.4 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 11.6 | 4.9 | .428 | 2.8 | 0.9 | .341 | 5.8 | 4.6 | .794 |
| Rick Fox | SF | 28 | 82 | 82 | 33.0 | 12.0 | 4.4 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 9.4 | 4.4 | .471 | 3.2 | 1.0 | .325 | 2.8 | 2.1 | .743 |
| Nick Van Exel | PG | 26 | 64 | 46 | 32.1 | 13.8 | 3.0 | 6.9 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 1.6 | 11.6 | 4.9 | .419 | 4.9 | 1.9 | .389 | 2.7 | 2.1 | .791 |
| Elden Campbell | PF | 29 | 81 | 28 | 22.0 | 10.1 | 5.6 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 7.7 | 3.6 | .463 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .500 | 4.2 | 2.9 | .693 |
| Robert Horry | PF | 27 | 72 | 71 | 30.4 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 5.8 | 2.8 | .476 | 1.3 | 0.3 | .204 | 2.3 | 1.6 | .692 |
| Derek Fisher | PG | 23 | 82 | 36 | 21.5 | 5.8 | 2.4 | 4.1 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 4.6 | 2.0 | .434 | 1.0 | 0.4 | .383 | 1.9 | 1.4 | .757 |
| Corie Blount | PF | 29 | 70 | 3 | 14.7 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 1.5 | .572 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.1 | 0.6 | .500 |
| Mario Bennett | PF | 24 | 45 | 4 | 7.9 | 3.9 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 1.8 | .593 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .500 | 1.0 | 0.4 | .364 |
| Sean Rooks | C | 28 | 41 | 1 | 10.4 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 1.1 | .455 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 1.1 | .595 | |
| Jon Barry | SG | 28 | 49 | 1 | 7.6 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 0.8 | .365 | 1.2 | 0.4 | .295 | 0.6 | 0.6 | .931 |
| Shea Seals | SG | 22 | 4 | 0 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.3 | .125 | 0.8 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.0 | 0.5 | .500 |
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 241.8 | 105.5 | 43.3 | 24.5 | 9.0 | 6.8 | 15.3 | 79.7 | 38.4 | .481 | 17.3 | 6.1 | .351 | 33.5 | 22.7 | .679 |
Playoff Per Game
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TPG | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaquille O’Neal | C | 25 | 13 | 13 | 38.5 | 30.5 | 10.2 | 2.9 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 19.8 | 12.2 | .612 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12.2 | 6.2 | .503 | |
| Eddie Jones | SG | 26 | 13 | 13 | 36.6 | 17.0 | 3.9 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 11.4 | 5.3 | .466 | 3.7 | 1.5 | .417 | 5.8 | 4.8 | .829 |
| Nick Van Exel | PG | 26 | 13 | 0 | 28.2 | 11.6 | 2.5 | 4.2 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 11.6 | 3.8 | .331 | 5.4 | 1.7 | .314 | 3.1 | 2.2 | .725 |
| Rick Fox | SF | 28 | 13 | 13 | 32.9 | 10.9 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 8.8 | 3.9 | .447 | 4.1 | 1.6 | .396 | 1.8 | 1.5 | .826 |
| Robert Horry | PF | 27 | 13 | 13 | 32.5 | 8.6 | 6.5 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 5.4 | 3.0 | .557 | 1.3 | 0.5 | .353 | 3.2 | 2.2 | .683 |
| Kobe Bryant | SF | 19 | 11 | 0 | 20.0 | 8.7 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 6.9 | 2.8 | .408 | 1.3 | 0.3 | .214 | 4.1 | 2.8 | .689 |
| Derek Fisher | PG | 23 | 13 | 13 | 21.4 | 6.0 | 1.9 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 5.2 | 2.1 | .397 | 1.5 | 0.5 | .300 | 2.2 | 1.4 | .621 |
| Elden Campbell | PF | 29 | 13 | 0 | 13.8 | 5.2 | 3.5 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 3.9 | 1.8 | .451 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.6 | 1.7 | .647 | |
| Corie Blount | PF | 29 | 12 | 0 | 17.4 | 2.6 | 5.3 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 1.0 | .500 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 0.6 | .636 | |
| Sean Rooks | C | 28 | 4 | 0 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | .333 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Mario Bennett | PF | 24 | 4 | 0 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | .500 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.000 | |
| Jon Barry | SG | 28 | 7 | 0 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.7 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Team Totals | 13 | 13 | 240.0 | 100.2 | 40.1 | 22.7 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 12.9 | 75.1 | 35.6 | .474 | 17.5 | 6.0 | .344 | 35.4 | 23.0 | .650 |
Regular Season Per 36 Mins
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kobe Bryant | SF | 19 | 79 | 1 | 2056 | 21.4 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 16.0 | 6.8 | .428 | 3.9 | 1.3 | .341 | 8.0 | 6.4 | .794 |
| Shaquille O’Neal | C | 25 | 60 | 57 | 2175 | 28.1 | 11.3 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 19.0 | 11.1 | .584 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11.3 | 5.9 | .527 | |
| Elden Campbell | PF | 29 | 81 | 28 | 1784 | 16.5 | 9.2 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 12.6 | 5.8 | .463 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .500 | 6.9 | 4.8 | .693 |
| Eddie Jones | SG | 26 | 80 | 80 | 2910 | 16.7 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 12.4 | 6.0 | .484 | 4.6 | 1.8 | .389 | 3.8 | 2.9 | .765 |
| Rick Fox | SF | 28 | 82 | 82 | 2709 | 13.1 | 4.8 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 10.2 | 4.8 | .471 | 3.5 | 1.1 | .325 | 3.1 | 2.3 | .743 |
| Nick Van Exel | PG | 26 | 64 | 46 | 2053 | 15.4 | 3.4 | 7.8 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 13.0 | 5.5 | .419 | 5.5 | 2.2 | .389 | 3.0 | 2.4 | .791 |
| Mario Bennett | PF | 24 | 45 | 4 | 354 | 18.0 | 12.8 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 13.7 | 8.1 | .593 | 0.2 | 0.1 | .500 | 4.5 | 1.6 | .364 |
| Derek Fisher | PG | 23 | 82 | 36 | 1760 | 9.7 | 3.9 | 6.8 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 2.4 | 7.7 | 3.4 | .434 | 1.7 | 0.6 | .383 | 3.1 | 2.4 | .757 |
| Robert Horry | PF | 27 | 72 | 71 | 2192 | 8.8 | 8.9 | 2.7 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 6.9 | 3.3 | .476 | 1.5 | 0.3 | .204 | 2.8 | 1.9 | .692 |
| Corie Blount | PF | 29 | 70 | 3 | 1029 | 8.9 | 10.4 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 6.5 | 3.7 | .572 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.7 | 1.4 | .500 |
| Jon Barry | SG | 28 | 49 | 1 | 374 | 11.6 | 3.6 | 4.9 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 10.0 | 3.7 | .365 | 5.9 | 1.7 | .295 | 2.8 | 2.6 | .931 |
| Sean Rooks | C | 28 | 41 | 1 | 425 | 11.8 | 10.0 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 8.6 | 3.9 | .455 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.7 | 4.0 | .595 | |
| Shea Seals | SG | 22 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 16.0 | 16.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 32.0 | 4.0 | .125 | 12.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 16.0 | 8.0 | .500 |
Playoff Per 36 Mins
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaquille O’Neal | C | 25 | 13 | 13 | 501 | 28.5 | 9.5 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 18.5 | 11.4 | .612 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11.4 | 5.7 | .503 | |
| Eddie Jones | SG | 26 | 13 | 13 | 476 | 16.7 | 3.9 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 11.2 | 5.2 | .466 | 3.6 | 1.5 | .417 | 5.7 | 4.8 | .829 |
| Nick Van Exel | PG | 26 | 13 | 0 | 367 | 14.8 | 3.1 | 5.3 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 2.2 | 14.8 | 4.9 | .331 | 6.9 | 2.2 | .314 | 3.9 | 2.8 | .725 |
| Elden Campbell | PF | 29 | 13 | 0 | 180 | 13.6 | 9.0 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 10.2 | 4.6 | .451 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.8 | 4.4 | .647 | |
| Kobe Bryant | SF | 19 | 11 | 0 | 220 | 15.7 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 12.4 | 5.1 | .408 | 2.3 | 0.5 | .214 | 7.4 | 5.1 | .689 |
| Rick Fox | SF | 28 | 13 | 13 | 428 | 11.9 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 9.6 | 4.3 | .447 | 4.5 | 1.8 | .396 | 1.9 | 1.6 | .826 |
| Derek Fisher | PG | 23 | 13 | 13 | 278 | 10.1 | 3.2 | 6.3 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 8.8 | 3.5 | .397 | 2.6 | 0.8 | .300 | 3.8 | 2.3 | .621 |
| Robert Horry | PF | 27 | 13 | 13 | 422 | 9.6 | 7.2 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 6.0 | 3.3 | .557 | 1.5 | 0.5 | .353 | 3.5 | 2.4 | .683 |
| Corie Blount | PF | 29 | 12 | 0 | 209 | 5.3 | 11.0 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 4.1 | 2.1 | .500 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 1.2 | .636 | |
| Mario Bennett | PF | 24 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 14.4 | 21.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.6 | 0.0 | 7.2 | 3.6 | .500 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 1.000 | |
| Sean Rooks | C | 28 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 13.1 | 3.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9.8 | 0.0 | 19.6 | 6.5 | .333 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Jon Barry | SG | 28 | 7 | 0 | 18 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 16.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 10.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Regular Season Totals
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaquille O’Neal | C | 25 | 60 | 57 | 2175 | 1699 | 681 | 142 | 39 | 144 | 175 | 1147 | 670 | .584 | 0 | 0 | 681 | 359 | .527 | |
| Eddie Jones | SG | 26 | 80 | 80 | 2910 | 1349 | 302 | 246 | 160 | 55 | 146 | 1005 | 486 | .484 | 368 | 143 | .389 | 306 | 234 | .765 |
| Kobe Bryant | SF | 19 | 79 | 1 | 2056 | 1220 | 242 | 199 | 74 | 40 | 157 | 913 | 391 | .428 | 220 | 75 | .341 | 457 | 363 | .794 |
| Rick Fox | SF | 28 | 82 | 82 | 2709 | 983 | 358 | 276 | 100 | 48 | 201 | 771 | 363 | .471 | 265 | 86 | .325 | 230 | 171 | .743 |
| Nick Van Exel | PG | 26 | 64 | 46 | 2053 | 881 | 194 | 442 | 64 | 6 | 104 | 743 | 311 | .419 | 316 | 123 | .389 | 172 | 136 | .791 |
| Elden Campbell | PF | 29 | 81 | 28 | 1784 | 816 | 455 | 78 | 35 | 102 | 115 | 624 | 289 | .463 | 2 | 1 | .500 | 342 | 237 | .693 |
| Robert Horry | PF | 27 | 72 | 71 | 2192 | 536 | 542 | 163 | 112 | 94 | 99 | 420 | 200 | .476 | 93 | 19 | .204 | 169 | 117 | .692 |
| Derek Fisher | PG | 23 | 82 | 36 | 1760 | 474 | 193 | 333 | 75 | 5 | 119 | 378 | 164 | .434 | 81 | 31 | .383 | 152 | 115 | .757 |
| Corie Blount | PF | 29 | 70 | 3 | 1029 | 253 | 298 | 37 | 29 | 25 | 51 | 187 | 107 | .572 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 78 | 39 | .500 |
| Mario Bennett | PF | 24 | 45 | 4 | 354 | 177 | 126 | 18 | 19 | 11 | 21 | 135 | 80 | .593 | 2 | 1 | .500 | 44 | 16 | .364 |
| Sean Rooks | C | 28 | 41 | 1 | 425 | 139 | 118 | 24 | 2 | 23 | 19 | 101 | 46 | .455 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 47 | .595 | |
| Jon Barry | SG | 28 | 49 | 1 | 374 | 121 | 37 | 51 | 24 | 3 | 22 | 104 | 38 | .365 | 61 | 18 | .295 | 29 | 27 | .931 |
| Shea Seals | SG | 22 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | .125 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 4 | 2 | .500 |
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 19830 | 8652 | 3550 | 2009 | 734 | 556 | 1229 | 6536 | 3146 | .481 | 1415 | 497 | .351 | 2743 | 1863 | .679 |
Playoff Totals
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaquille O’Neal | C | 25 | 13 | 13 | 501 | 396 | 132 | 38 | 7 | 34 | 43 | 258 | 158 | .612 | 0 | 0 | 159 | 80 | .503 | |
| Eddie Jones | SG | 26 | 13 | 13 | 476 | 221 | 51 | 32 | 26 | 21 | 17 | 148 | 69 | .466 | 48 | 20 | .417 | 76 | 63 | .829 |
| Nick Van Exel | PG | 26 | 13 | 0 | 367 | 151 | 32 | 54 | 8 | 1 | 22 | 151 | 50 | .331 | 70 | 22 | .314 | 40 | 29 | .725 |
| Rick Fox | SF | 28 | 13 | 13 | 428 | 142 | 58 | 51 | 11 | 3 | 21 | 114 | 51 | .447 | 53 | 21 | .396 | 23 | 19 | .826 |
| Robert Horry | PF | 27 | 13 | 13 | 422 | 112 | 84 | 40 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 70 | 39 | .557 | 17 | 6 | .353 | 41 | 28 | .683 |
| Kobe Bryant | SF | 19 | 11 | 0 | 220 | 96 | 21 | 16 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 76 | 31 | .408 | 14 | 3 | .214 | 45 | 31 | .689 |
| Derek Fisher | PG | 23 | 13 | 13 | 278 | 78 | 25 | 49 | 17 | 0 | 15 | 68 | 27 | .397 | 20 | 6 | .300 | 29 | 18 | .621 |
| Elden Campbell | PF | 29 | 13 | 0 | 180 | 68 | 45 | 8 | 3 | 12 | 13 | 51 | 23 | .451 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 22 | .647 | |
| Corie Blount | PF | 29 | 12 | 0 | 209 | 31 | 64 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 24 | 12 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 7 | .636 | |
| Sean Rooks | C | 28 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 2 | .333 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Mario Bennett | PF | 24 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | |
| Jon Barry | SG | 28 | 7 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | .000 | 5 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | |
| Team Totals | 13 | 13 | 3120 | 1303 | 521 | 295 | 96 | 101 | 163 | 976 | 463 | .474 | 227 | 78 | .344 | 460 | 299 | .650 |
Regular Season
| PLAYER NAME | ROLE TIER | MPG | USAGE TIER | PPG | RPG | APG | STK | IMPACT INDEX | NOTES | AWARDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaquille O’Neal | Starter/Star (1.1) | 36.3 | High (1.2) | 28.3 | 11.4 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 118.01 | Functioned as the Lakers’ offensive foundation, with virtually every half-court possession capable of flowing through him on the block. Opposing coaches routinely built entire game plans around limiting his interior dominance, while national coverage frequently noted that his physical presence alone reshaped defensive schemes even when double teams failed. | MVP-4, All-Star, All-NBA First Team |
| Eddie Jones | Starter/Star (1.1) | 36.4 | High (1.2) | 16.9 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 69.43 | Served as Los Angeles’ premier perimeter defender while remaining an efficient secondary scorer. Season coverage regularly highlighted his ability to guard elite wings every night without sacrificing offensive production, making him one of the league’s most complete two-way guards. | All-Star, All-Defensive Second Team |
| Kobe Bryant | Key Contributor (1.05) | 26.0 | High (1.2) | 15.4 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 56.45 | Came off the bench but often finished games because his shot creation gave the second unit needed energy. Writers and broadcasters consistently pointed to his confidence and late-game fearlessness as signs that his role was rapidly outgrowing his reserve status. | All-Star, Sixth Man of the Year Voting (2nd) |
| Nick Van Exel | Starter/Star (1.1) | 32.1 | High (1.2) | 13.8 | 3.0 | 6.9 | 1.1 | 65.18 | Operated as the club’s primary playmaker, pushing tempo and creating offense off the dribble. Contemporary reporting often praised his creativity while acknowledging that his aggressive style occasionally led to difficult shot selection. | All-Star |
| Rick Fox | Starter/Star (1.1) | 33.0 | Medium (1.1) | 12.0 | 4.4 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 52.76 | Filled a connective role rather than chasing touches, spacing the floor and defending multiple positions. Analysts frequently described him as a stabilizing veteran whose versatility allowed the Lakers’ stars greater freedom offensively. | — |
| Robert Horry | Starter/Star (1.1) | 30.4 | Medium (1.1) | 7.4 | 7.5 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 48.64 | Accepted a low-volume offensive role while providing switchable defense and timely help around the rim. Coverage from the season emphasized how his versatility rarely showed up fully in the box score but consistently benefited winning lineups. | — |
| Elden Campbell | Key Contributor (1.05) | 22.0 | Medium (1.1) | 10.1 | 5.6 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 42.16 | Anchored many frontcourt reserve minutes with reliable interior defense and length. Beat writers regularly viewed him as a dependable rotational big capable of protecting the paint against second units. | — |
| Derek Fisher | Key Contributor (1.05) | 21.5 | Medium (1.1) | 5.8 | 2.4 | 4.1 | 1.0 | 30.56 | Earned increasing trust because of his steady decision-making and defensive competitiveness. Coaches leaned on him to organize the offense, foreshadowing the larger responsibilities he would assume in later seasons. | — |
| Corie Blount | Bench (1.0) | 14.7 | Low (1.0) | 3.6 | 4.3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 18.40 | Provided physical rebounding and interior depth in short stretches. Independent coverage generally portrayed his value as supplying energy and toughness rather than offensive production. | — |
| Mario Bennett | Bench (1.0) | 7.9 | Low (1.0) | 3.9 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 15.40 | Worked as a developmental reserve whose opportunities came in limited bursts. Contemporary reporting on the Lakers focused more on his athletic tools than on immediate rotation impact. | — |
| Sean Rooks | Bench (1.0) | 10.4 | Low (1.0) | 3.4 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 15.00 | Filled emergency frontcourt minutes with size and physicality. Independent game coverage generally referenced him as experienced depth behind the club’s primary centers. | — |
| Jon Barry | Bench (1.0) | 7.6 | Low (1.0) | 2.5 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 9.80 | Functioned as a situational reserve guard whose passing instincts stood out more than his scoring. Available coverage from the period largely discussed his value as backcourt depth. | — |
| Shea Seals | Bench (1.0) | 2.3 | Low (1.0) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 4.60 | Appeared only briefly during the regular season, leaving very limited independent contemporary coverage. Available reporting primarily noted his developmental status rather than a defined on-court role. | — |
| TEAM TOTALS | — | 241.8 | — | 105.5 | 43.3 | 24.5 | 15.8 | 546.39 | The Lakers combined elite interior scoring from O’Neal with versatile perimeter talent, but national analysis throughout the season often pointed to inconsistent depth and role definition as obstacles to a deeper playoff run. | All-Star (4), All-NBA First Team (1), All-Defensive Second Team (1) |
Playoffs
| PLAYER NAME | ROLE TIER | MPG | USAGE TIER | PPG | RPG | APG | STK | IMPACT INDEX | NOTES | AWARDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaquille O’Neal | Starter/Star (1.1) | 38.5 | High (1.2) | 30.5 | 10.2 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 123.02 | Everything revolved around Shaq in this playoff run. Opponents repeatedly collapsed the paint with extra defenders, yet national postseason coverage still described him as the league’s most physically overwhelming interior force because he dictated matchups and foul trouble from the opening tip. | — |
| Eddie Jones | Starter/Star (1.1) | 36.6 | High (1.2) | 17.0 | 3.9 | 2.5 | 3.6 | 71.28 | Drew the toughest perimeter assignments while remaining the club’s most dependable two-way wing. Playoff analysis regularly praised his willingness to guard elite scorers without reducing his offensive aggression, giving Los Angeles valuable balance on both ends. | — |
| Rick Fox | Starter/Star (1.1) | 32.9 | Medium (1.1) | 10.9 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 1.0 | 49.71 | Operated as a complementary forward who kept the offense moving rather than hunting shots. Writers covering the series often highlighted his floor spacing and disciplined team defense as reasons he consistently stayed on the floor in important moments. | — |
| Robert Horry | Starter/Star (1.1) | 32.5 | Medium (1.1) | 8.6 | 6.5 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 49.13 | Filled the role of defensive glue, switching across frontcourt matchups while making timely plays away from the ball. Independent postseason coverage noted that his versatility frequently outweighed his modest scoring totals. | — |
| Nick Van Exel | Key Contributor (1.05) | 28.2 | High (1.2) | 11.6 | 2.5 | 4.2 | 0.7 | 47.88 | Came off the bench but still carried major creation duties with the second unit. Commentary from the series emphasized his confidence as an instant-offense guard, even though his shot selection remained a talking point when defenses tightened. | — |
| Derek Fisher | Starter/Star (1.1) | 21.4 | Medium (1.1) | 6.0 | 1.9 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 31.94 | Started at point guard because the coaching staff trusted his composure and defensive discipline. Reporters frequently described him as a stabilizing presence who rarely let the pace become chaotic despite his limited playoff experience. | — |
| Kobe Bryant | Key Contributor (1.05) | 20.0 | Medium (1.1) | 8.7 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 30.72 | His minutes fluctuated, but every appearance hinted at unusual shot-making talent. Coverage throughout the postseason focused on his fearlessness and upside, with many observers believing he was already challenging veterans for a larger offensive role. | — |
| Elden Campbell | Bench (1.0) | 13.8 | Low (1.0) | 5.2 | 3.5 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 20.80 | Supplied dependable frontcourt depth and helped absorb difficult defensive assignments whenever the rotation required size. Contemporary reporting generally viewed him as a reliable reserve rather than a featured scorer. | — |
| Corie Blount | Bench (1.0) | 17.4 | Low (1.0) | 2.6 | 5.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 18.60 | Brought physical rebounding and hustle during short playoff stretches. Available independent coverage largely focused on his willingness to battle bigger lineups and provide energy instead of offensive production. | — |
| Mario Bennett | Bench (1.0) | 2.5 | Low (1.0) | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 5.60 | Appeared only briefly, leaving very little independent postseason reporting. The limited coverage available treated him primarily as emergency depth rather than part of the regular playoff rotation. | — |
| Sean Rooks | Bench (1.0) | 2.8 | Low (1.0) | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 4.20 | Saw only spot duty, so contemporary playoff analysis was scarce. Independent reports mainly referenced him as experienced insurance behind the Lakers’ primary centers. | — |
| Jon Barry | Bench (1.0) | 2.6 | Low (1.0) | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.80 | Played too little to generate meaningful independent postseason analysis. Available reporting mentioned him only as reserve backcourt depth during the playoff rotation. | — |
| TEAM TOTALS | — | 240.0 | — | 100.2 | 40.1 | 22.7 | 15.2 | 452.68 | Los Angeles leaned heavily on O’Neal’s interior dominance while surrounding him with versatile perimeter defenders and secondary creators. Independent playoff coverage consistently suggested the roster had championship-level talent but was still learning how to maximize its young core in high-pressure postseason games. | — |