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Lakers jersey history No. 33 -- John Fairchild
TL;DR
John Fairchild, a forward who played for the Lakers in the 1965 NBA draft, averaged 2 points and 1.5 rebounds in his rookie season. He later had a successful career in the ABA, culminating in a championship with the Indiana Pacers in 1970.
Through the 2024-25 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have had a total of 506 players suit up for them, going back to their days in Minneapolis. Some were forgettable, some were serviceable, some were good and a select few were flat-out legendary.
During the Lakers' 80th season of existence (they were founded back in 1946 as the Detroit Gems in the National Basketball League), LeBron Wire is taking a look at each player who has worn their jersey, whether it has been a purple and gold one or the ones they donned back in the Midwest during their early years.
John Fairchild, a 6-foot-8 forward, played two years of college basketball at Brigham Young University, and during that time, he averaged 20.9 points and 12.8 rebounds a game while winning one Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Player of the Year Award. In 1965, the Lakers took him with the No. 16 pick in the NBA draft.
He spent his rookie season with the Lakers and averaged two points and 1.5 rebounds in 5.7 minutes a game that year. He sat out the following season, then played three seasons in the American Basketball Association (ABA) for four different teams. Fairchild ended his pro basketball career by winning a league championship with the Indiana Pacers in 1970, and he ended up with career averages of 6.6 points and 3.2 rebounds in 13.8 minutes a game across both the NBA and ABA.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers jersey history No. 33 -- John Fairchild
Q&A
What were John Fairchild's college basketball statistics at BYU?
John Fairchild averaged 20.9 points and 12.8 rebounds per game during his two years at Brigham Young University.
Which NBA team drafted John Fairchild and what was his draft position?
John Fairchild was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers as the No. 16 pick in the 1965 NBA draft.
What was John Fairchild's professional basketball career like after the Lakers?
After his time with the Lakers, John Fairchild played three seasons in the ABA for four different teams and won a league championship with the Indiana Pacers in 1970.
