Minnesota's NBA Pipeline to the Lakers | Minnesota Golden Gophers Basketball News

The University of Minnesota’s basketball legacy shines through its deep NBA draft ties with the Lakers—56 Gophers drafted, 14 picked by LA. From championship-winning guard Whitey Skoog to four-time All-Star Dick Garmaker, the pipeline has delivered stars. But not every draft pick made it to the court—players like Dick Means and Bob Gelle were selected but never played professionally, underscoring the fierce competition. More recently, Archie Clark had a solid career, even part of the Wilt Chamberlain trade, while Sam Jacobson was a first-round pick in ’98. This rich history proves Minnesota’s knack for developing talent that catches NBA scouts’ eyes—even if not all reach stardom. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/c9ea9082c9380f27