10 Greatest Los Angeles Clippers Players Of All Time

The Los Angeles Clippers used to be a laughingstock in the NBA. When the team was founded in 1970, the team began as the Buffalo Braves. For those eight years, one player kept the team relevant thanks to his superstar play. When the team moved to California, the Clippers were based in San Diego until the team relocated to Los Angeles in 1984. With over five decades of playing, the Clippers have never made the NBA Finals and own just two division titles which were won in 2013 and 2014.

With that said, the Clippers have battled the Lakers for the city of Los Angeles since 2011. Thanks to draft picks panning out and a new owner that has no issues with spending money, the Clippers have become a popular team in the league. In 2021, the Clippers nearly made the NBA Finals for the first time and might have been one injured player away. When looking at the all-time greatest Clippers, features a perfect blend of old and new players.

These are the greatest Los Angeles Clippers players of all time.

Honorable Mentions

Corey Maggette

Years in Los Angeles: 8 (2000-2008)

Los Angeles: 17.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Career: 16.0 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Honors: None

Maggette came into the league as the No. 13 overall pick by the Seattle SuperSonics. He was later traded to the Orlando Magic and spent one season with the team. He was then packaged to the Clippers for a 2006 first-round pick. The Clippers found themselves with an established forward. That same player owns the team record for free throws made. With 3,122 free throws, he owns a massive lead on the record boards over Blake Griffin and his 2,397 made free throws. He also owns the team record for attempts with 3,791.

During the 2000s, Maggette was a player that helped the Clippers stay relevant. He participated in the 2001 Slam Dunk Contest. Eventually, he helped the Clippers win their first playoff game in 13 seasons during the 2006 playoffs. Maggette is featured in the top 10 for numerous statistical categories. Among his other top accomplishments, he ranks fifth with 8,835 career points.

Jamal Crawford

Years in Los Angeles: 5 (2012-2017)

Los Angeles: 15.3 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 2.6 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Career: 14.6 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Honors: 2x Sixth Man of the Year (2014, 2016)

As mentioned, Crawford liked to shoot the ball. With the Clippers, Crawford set a team record for three-point field goals for a career with 1,872. Crawford also ranks third with 662 three-point field goals and is seventh in free throw percentage at 88.0%. When Crawford was with the Clippers, he was a two-time Sixth Man of the Year Award winner.

The first time he won the award was in 2014. He averaged 18.6 points and shot 41.6% from the field and 86.6% from the free throw line. He won the award again in 2016 when he averaged 14.2 points, but shot 40.4% from the field, 34.0% from three-point range, and 90.4% from the free-throw line. With Crawford coming off of the bench, the team set a record for wins in 2013-14 with a 57-25 record.

Lou Williams

Years in Los Angeles: 4 (2017-2021)

Los Angeles: 19.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 5.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Career: 13.9 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Honors: 2x Sixth Man of the Year (2018, 2019)

When the Clippers shipped Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets, the team received a massive package of players. Williams was one of those players and became a favorite on the team. In his first season with the team, he won the Sixth Man of the Year Award. He had career highs in many stat categories by averaging 22.6 points, 5.3 assists, and 32.8 minutes per game. He followed that with another Sixth Man of the Year Award, which included scoring 45 points off of the bench in a loss to the Timberwolves.

Later in the season, Williams helped the Clippers overcome a 31-point deficit, which was the biggest comeback in playoff history. Williams scored 36 points and 11 assists in that game. With 447 three-point field goals, he is sixth all-time with made three-pointers and ranks 10th in free-throw percentage with a career average of 87.3%.

10. Danny Manning

Years in Los Angeles: 6 (1988-1994)

Los Angeles: 19.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.1 BPG

Career: 14.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.9 BPG

Honors: 2x All-Star (1993, 1994)

Manning was the National College Player of the Year in Kansas and was seen as the game’s best prospect. The Clippers needed a player to help transform the team, so the Clippers used the No. 1 overall pick in 1988 on Manning. He played just 26 games as a rookie after a torn ACL. It would be later in his Clipper tenure that he blossomed into that top player.

He was named an All-Star in 1993 when he averaged 22.8 points per game. He was named to the All-Star team the following season as well. The Clippers traded him weeks after the All-Star break for Dominique Wilkens and a first-round pick. Manning has his name featured in the top 10 for points, field goals, offensive rebounds, steals, and blocks. His best record is the 548 steals which has him ranked fifth.

9. Bob Kauffman

Years in Los Angeles: 4 (1970-1974)

Los Angeles: 15.8 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 3.9 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Career: 11.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Honors: 3x All-Star (1971-1973)

Before the triple-double was a modern-day phenomenon, Kauffman was doing that on his own during the early years of the Buffalo Braves. Kauffman remains tied with two other players with a team-record seven triple-doubles. When the Braves came into the league, Kauffman was one of the best players in the league, recording three All-Star appearances in four seasons.

In his first season, he averaged 20.4 points and 10.7 rebounds. The next season saw him as one of the team’s best players with 18.9 points and 10.2 rebounds but the team struggled to win 22 games. His final All-Star season saw him average 17.5 points and 11.1 rebounds for the 21-win Braves. Despite the poor teams, Kauffman remains one of the best offensive players in team history, ranking ninth in offensive win shares.

8. Paul George

Years in Los Angeles: 4 (2019-Present)

Los Angeles: 23.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.4 BPG

Career: 20.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG

Honors: All-Star (2021), All-NBA Third Team (2021)

While Paul George has battled injuries with the team during his tenure, nobody can discount what he has helped the Clippers do since coming to the team in 2019. The Clippers unloaded their draft capital to pair George next to Kawhi Leonard. During the 2020-21 season, George was fully healthy and helped the Clippers make the Western Conference Finals for the first time in team history.

During that season, he averaged 23.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. Leonard missed the entire Conference Finals but George kept the team competitive. Despite the Clippers losing in six games to the Suns, George nearly willed this team to the NBA Finals, which included a 41-point effort in Game 5 to keep the team alive.

7. Elton Brand

Years in Los Angeles: 7 (2001-2008)

Los Angeles: 20.3 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 2.3 BPG

Career: 15.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.7 BPG

Honors: 2x All-Star (2002, 2006), All-NBA Second Team (2006)

After two successful seasons with the Chicago Bulls, the Clippers made a move to acquire the big man. In 2002, Brand became the first Clipper since Danny Manning in 1994 to make the All-Star Game. During his tenure, he made two appearances in the All-Star Game, but his best season was during the 2005-06 year. He averaged a career-high 24.7 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team as well.

Brand has his name all over the rebounding records. He is ranked second in offensive rebounds (1,769) and total rebounds (4,710). When he left the team, he owned the record. He also ranks in the top 5 in two-point field goals, field goals, minutes played, free throws, and blocks. His 9,336 career points are fourth-best all-time. He also ranks second in offensive and defensive win shares, as well as third in total win shares.

6. DeAndre Jordan

Years in Los Angeles: 10 (2008-2018)

Los Angeles: 9.4 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.7 BPG

Career: 9.1 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.5 BPG

Honors: All-Star (2017), All-NBA First Team (2016), 2x All-NBA Third Team (2015, 2017), 2x All-Defensive First Team (2015, 2016), 2x Rebounding Leader (2014, 2015)

The most durable Clipper to ever play was a steal in the 2008 NBA Draft. Jordan was the No. 35 overall pick that eventually rose to the starting lineup. In his first game as a starter, he recorded eight points, 10 rebounds, and six blocks. He remained someone that the team could rely on to play. His 750 games as a Clippers are a team record. While his durability was beloved, there were other times when he shined, which included leading the league in rebounding and going viral for his dunk on Brandon Knight.

With the Clippers, Jordan is one of two players to play at least 20,000 minutes or more for the team. He is sixth in field goals made and eight in free throws. He owns all of the rebounding records with 2,435 offensive rebounds, 5,553 defensive rebounds, and 7,988 total rebounds. He also owns the blocks record with 1,277 and the team record for field goal percentage (67.3%). Jordan took advantage of playing next to Chris Paul during his day, but he was also a stellar rebounder and All-Defensive player in his own right.

5. Kawhi Leonard

Years in Los Angeles: 4 (2019-Present)

Los Angeles: 25.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.5 BPG

Career: 19.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.6 BPG

Honors: 2x All-Star (2020, 2021), All-Star Game MVP (2020), All-NBA First Team (2021), All-NBA Second Team (2020), All-Defensive Second Team (2021)

When Leonard was a free agent, there was talk that he was going to be a Laker. Instead, he joined the other Los Angeles team and made his mark on the league. Leonard quickly became one of the best players in the league as he played alongside Paul George. With the two stars, the Clippers qualified for the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 2021. However, Leonard missed the entire series against the Suns due to a torn ACL.

With that said, Leonard is one of the few players in team history to receive an All-NBA First Team selection. In his first season, he was the All-Star Game MVP, an honor that three two Clippers players own. Assuming that Leonard can stay healthy, the Clippers could make another run to the NBA Finals, which has never been done with the franchise.

4. Randy Smith

Years in Los Angeles: 9 (1971-1978)

Los Angeles: 17.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 4.9 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Career: 16.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Honors: 2x All-Star (1876, 1978), All-Star Game MVP (1978), All-NBA Second Team (1976)

During the early days, somebody had to score the ball. That happened to Smith for nine seasons. Despite standing at 6-foot-3, Smith played in the forward position. He had the speed, quickness, and vertical that helped him score an all-time 12,735 points. Smith left the team in 1978 but his record for points remains and has zero chance of falling anytime soon.

Smith owns many records with the Clippers. He owns the record for minutes players (24,393), field goals (5,214), two-point field goals (5,211), steals (1,072), fouls (2,018), and was once the assists leader with 3,498 but has since been passed. Another highlight from his time with the Clippers was when he won the All-Star Game MVP in his final season when he scored 27 points.

3. Blake Griffin

Years in Los Angeles: 8 (2010-2018)

Los Angeles: 21.6 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG

Career: 19.6 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 4.1 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.5 BPG

Honors: 5x All-Star (2011-2015), 3x All-NBA Second Team (2012-2014), All-NBA Third Team (2015), Rookie of the Year (2011), All-Rookie First Team (2011), Slam Dunk Contest Champion (2011)

The 2000s were a tough decade for the Clippers. When the Clippers drafted Griffin with the No. 1 overall pick in 2009, he gave the team a sense of hope. After missing his first season in the league due to injury, he rose to the top in popularity when he won the Slam Dunk Contest in his first full season in the league. Griffin became a pinnacle member of “Lob City” alongside teammate DeAndre Jordan. With his athleticism, he made five All-Star appearances and four All-NBA selections.

Griffin ranks second in field goals (4,161) and third in minutes played (17,706). He is also the runner-up in free throws (2,397), defensive rebounds (3,485), and points (10,863). He joins Smith as the only two players in team history with at least 10,000 career points with the Clippers. Griffin shares the triple-doubles record with Kauffman and Lamar Odom with seven. Unfortunately, Griffin owns the team record for turnovers, but he makes up for it by ranking third in offensive and defensive win shares as fourth in total win shares.

2. Bob McAdoo

Years in Los Angeles: 5 (1972-1977)

Los Angeles: 28.2 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 2.4 BPG

Career: 22.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.5 BPG

Honors: MVP Award (1975), 3x All-Star (1974-1976), All-NBA First Team (1975), All-NBA Second Team (1974), Rookie of the Year (1973), All-Rookie First Team (1973), 3x Scoring Champion (1974-1976)

One player has never been the best in the league while being associated with the Clippers franchise. One has to go back to the 1974-75 season when the Clippers were based in Buffalo. McAdoo is the only player to win an MVP Award. He averaged 34.5 points, 14.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks while shooting 51.2% from the field and 80.5% from the free-throw line. He led the league in All-Star votes and helped the team in 49 games. During his run with the Clippers, McAdoo won three consecutive scoring titles with averages of 30.6, 34.5, and 31.1.

Despite playing five seasons, McAdoo’s success has fingerprints all over the leaderboard. He ranks in the top 5 for field goals (3,697), total rebounds (4,229), and blocks (614), and is third with 9,434 total points. His 40.1 minutes per game is a career record, as is his 95.4 defensive ratings. The Clippers have had some great players suit up for the team since 1977 but none of them was an MVP like McAdoo back in the day.

1. Chris Paul

Years in Los Angeles: 6 (2011-2017)

Los Angeles: 18.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 9.8 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Career: 18.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 9.5 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Honors: 6x All-Star (2012-2017), All-Star Game MVP (2013), 3x All-NBA First Team (2012-2014), 2x All-NBA Second Team (2015, 2016), 6x All-Defensive First Team (2012-2017), 2x Assists Leader (2014, 2015), 3x Steals Leader (2012-2014)

Say what you want about Chris Paul’s playoff numbers with the Clippers. Before Paul, the team was never a team that you figured could make a run to the NBA Finals. Between 2011 to 2017, the creation of “Lob City” started with the point guard. Paul led the league in assists two times thanks to numerous dunks to multiple teammates that remain viral on YouTube to this day. On top of that, Paul was the best two-way point guard in the league. While making the All-NBA First Team, he was also the league’s top defensive guard as well by making six consecutive All-Defensive First Team selections.

Paul had the city of Los Angeles focused on the Clippers during a time when the Lakers had Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard, and Steve Nash. He also owns numerous records from his time. Paul’s 4,023 career assists are a team record, while his 902 career steals are second. He owns the record for assists per game (9.8) and steals (2.2) as a member of the Clippers. According to the advanced stats, he is the franchise leader in player efficiency rating (26.3), assist percentage (47.7%), offensive win shares (60.0), total win shares (78.2), and value over a replacement player (36.8). 

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