So Cal's All-Time Roster: No. 42
No. 42:
Our pick:
==James Worthy, Lakers (1982-'94)
One of the great finishers in NBA history, the North Carolina native ended up in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003 and one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players in '96 for what he did in his 12 years as a Laker. The first pick in the '82 draft averaged 13.4 points a game. He contributed to three NBA titles ('85, '87 and '88, leading the team in scoring for the last two. His 28 points and nine rebounds in Game 6 and 36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in Game 7 of the '88 Finals got him the Finals MVP award. The seven-time All Star thrived as long as Magic Johnson was leading the break, finishing them off with his statuesque dunks. Chick Hearn called him "Big Game James," and he was that in 926 regular-season contest, averaging 17.6 points there, but cranking it up to 21.1 points a game in the playoffs. And if you could have given the Lakers at least a couple more road trips to Houston every season, he'd be all the more big-game ready.
First runner ups:
==Walt Hazzard, UCLA basketball (1961-'64), Lakers ('64-'67)
The NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player in '64, the No. 42 is retired at UCLA in his name.
==Don MacLean, UCLA basketball ('89-'92)
The Pac-10's all-time leading scorer with 2,608 points out of Simi Valley High
Second runner ups:
==Ronnie Lott, USC football ('77-'80), Raiders ('91-'92)
In the College Hall of Fame, USC Hall of Fame, unanimous All-American and team captain in '80. In a recent SI.com story about the greatest numbers in college football history, he was runner-up to Pittsburgh's Marshall Goldberg (third in '37 Heisman voting and second in '38).
==Ricky Bell, USC football
Set a single-game rushing record of 347 yards against Washington State University in 1976. Led the nation in scoring as a junior in '75 and had 1,957 yards. A runner-up to Tony Dorsett for the 1976 Heisman. In the College Football Hall of Fame.
Third runner up:
==Elton Brand, Clippers ('01- )
==Connie Hawkins, Lakers ('73-'75)
Other No. 42s:
==Skip Hicks, UCLA football ('94-'97)
==Mark McGwire, USC baseball ('82-'84)
==Lucious Allen, UCLA basketball ('66-'68), Lakers (also wore No. 40)
==Tom Selleck, USC basketball
==CR Roberts, USC football ('55-'56)
==Erik Affholter, USC football ('85-'88)
==Dave Elmendorf, Rams ('71-'79)
==Kevin Love, UCLA basketball ('07- )
==Mo Vaughn, Angels ('99-'00)
==Ed Ratleff, Long Beach State basketball ('70-'73)
Sports Illustrated's choice for all-time No. 42: Jackie Robinson, over Lott.
Did we miss anyone?
You've got our vote, now let's see yours: