One Thing Is Guaranteed: A Former Laker Will Win the 2025 NBA Championship
No matter which team hoists the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June, one thing is certain a former Los Angeles Laker will be celebrating.
As the NBA Conference Finals tip off, each of the four remaining teams has a player who once donned the iconic purple and gold. And while their paths have diverged, all of them share one thing in common: their journeys began, or passed through, Hollywood.
Here’s a look at the four former Lakers still standing, and the roads that led them here:
Julius Randle Minnesota Timberwolves
Drafted by the Lakers with the 7th overall pick in 2014, Randle was seen as a cornerstone for the team’s post-Kobe rebuild. But after years of development and flashes of promise, he was eventually shipped to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of the package that helped bring Anthony Davis to L.A. Now, a decade later, Randle has emerged as a key contributor for the Timberwolves, who are chasing their first-ever NBA title. A championship for Randle would be the ultimate payoff for years of hard work and redemption after being let go by the franchise that once drafted him.
Alex Caruso Oklahoma City Thunder
Caruso’s story is a fan favorite. An undrafted guard out of Texas A&M, Caruso began his professional journey with the Lakers’ G-League affiliate before earning a two-way contract. By 2020, he had become a defensive anchor and cult hero in L.A., helping the Lakers win the NBA title in the bubble. Now, with OKC, he’s bringing that same gritty energy to a young and fearless Thunder squad. If Caruso wins it all again, it’ll be another chapter in one of the NBA’s most unlikely success stories.
Josh Hart — New York Knicks
Hart was drafted by the Lakers in 2017 and, like Randle, was sent to the Pelicans in the blockbuster deal for Anthony Davis. While Hart never reached stardom in L.A., he’s carved out a reputation as one of the league’s best glue guys — a rugged rebounder, defender, and teammate. With the Knicks on a historic playoff run, Hart’s relentless hustle has been vital. A title would solidify him as one of the most underrated yet indispensable pieces on a contending team.
Thomas Bryant — Indiana Pacers
Bryant began his NBA career as a second-round pick by the Lakers in 2017. Though he didn’t make much of an impact in his rookie year, he’d later rejoin the Lakers in 2022 as a reliable big off the bench. Bryant already has a championship ring — after being traded midseason to the Denver Nuggets in 2023, he was part of their title run. Now with the Pacers, he’s looking to add another, proving that depth and consistency still matter in the modern NBA.
A Full-Circle Moment for Laker Nation
It’s a poetic twist of fate. The Lakers themselves are watching from home, having bowed out early in the playoffs despite a roster headlined by LeBron James and Luka Dončić. But the team’s fingerprints are still all over the championship race.
Whether it’s Randle’s redemption, Caruso’s grind, Hart’s hustle, or Bryant’s persistence — one former Laker will soon add “NBA Champion” to his résumé. And for fans in L.A., it’s a bittersweet reminder that while talent may leave the city, greatness can still be forged from its roots.
One way or another, the purple and gold legacy lives on.
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