Hornets.com’s 1-on-1: Los Angeles Lakers’ Luke Walton, Stu Lantz
January 20, 2007
Hornets.com and Hoop Magazine writer Jim Eichenhofer recently interviewed Los Angeles Lakers forward Luke Walton for a feature article that will appear in an upcoming issue of Hoop, the NBA’s official publication. Walton, the son of Hall of Fame center and current ESPN analyst Bill Walton, has been one of the NBA’s most improved players this season.
Eichenhofer caught up with Lakers television analyst Stu Lantz prior to Saturday’s game at the Ford Center. Lantz is in his 20th season as a Lakers broadcaster.
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Los Angeles Lakers forward Luke Walton
Q: This is by far the most you’ve played in your NBA career. What do you think are the reasons why you have enjoyed such a great start to this season?
A: I think it has to do mostly with the opportunity I’ve had this year. I got the chance to start the last couple games of last season and really worked hard on my jump shot and a lot of different things. Coming back into training camp this season, I had the opportunity to play with the first group and make things happen.
Q: You are ranked in the top 10 in the NBA in three-point percentage after not being known for your perimeter shooting early in your career. How much time did you spend working on your outside shot this summer
A: I worked on shooting, in general, as well as on my three-point shot. I’ve learned that playing in the triangle offense and with Kobe (Bryant) and Lamar (Odom), they draw a lot of double-teams. I know I can get good looks, and if I can knock those down, it’s going to help the team.
Q: You seem to be a player who has kind of an old-school game, with varied skills in several different areas. How do you describe what you bring to the floor?
A: Well, I grew up playing anywhere from point guard to center in high school, so I’ve had a lot of experience playing against big guys and small guys. I always wanted to work on a lot of little things. And I’ve always loved passing. I’m comfortable making post moves, but I can also take a big (defender) outside and go around them. I’ve always considered myself just a basketball player, instead of a specialist.
Q: Your father, Bill Walton, is obviously very well-known from his broadcasting career and his Hall of Fame playing career. How much advice does he give you about the NBA and your game?
A: He’s not the kind of father who is always on top of me after every game or anything like that. He’ll give me a call after a game and sometimes we might talk a little bit about what he saw.
Q: Have you ever watched film of a previous game you played in and heard him analyzing it? He never even mentions that you are his son; he acts like you are just another player.
A: [laughs] Yeah, it’s kind of funny. But it’s his job to do that. He sometimes errs on the side of being overly cautious (in terms of discussing the obvious connection that exists between the two Waltons).
Q: How did your appearance on The Young and the Restless soap opera come about?
A: I love doing different things and trying new stuff. The show contacted my agent. It was in the summer, and they asked if I would come out to do it. It was pretty easy, because I only had to (act as) myself, a basketball player.
Q: So what is your assessment of your acting skills?
A: Well, I definitely don’t think I’m going to win an Oscar or anything! [laughs] I just had to talk a little trash to one of the main actors on the show. It was all in fun. If they asked me to do it again, I would, but it’s not something I’m pursuing.
Lantz
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Los Angeles Lakers broadcaster Stu Lantz
Q: There has been a lot of discussion over the past two seasons about Kobe Bryant’s approach to taking a lot of shots or getting his teammates involved in the offense, especially during the 2006 playoffs vs. Phoenix. What is your opinion of how he’s approached that situation this season?
A: There is no doubt that he’s done a better job of getting his teammates involved this season, and his teammates have responded. I think as long as his teammates continue to respond, he’ll do what he’s doing right now (and distribute the ball frequently).
It was never a situation where he didn’t want to involve his teammates; it was an issue where when he was younger, he had so much more confidence in himself shooting over a double-team, instead of (a teammate) shooting an open shot. He would give (a teammate) a couple open shots, but if they didn’t make them, Kobe would start going back to his old self.
Q: Few people expected the Lakers to do this well, and they have been without their second-best player, Lamar Odom, for much of the season, among other injuries. Lakers coach Phil Jackson has led teams to nine NBA titles and is one of the most successful coaches in league history, but do you think he has done the best job of his career this season?
A: No question. I think this year has been probably his best coaching year in his career. He’s really not only had to coach, but he’s had to spend a lot of time teaching during the season. In the past, he always had a veteran basketball team that could figure things out for themselves. Now he’s got a young team, and he has to stay on top of them.
He’s done a great job of staying on top of them. Without a doubt, I think this is Phil’s best coaching performance.
Q: Aside from Kobe and Phil, two names all basketball fans are familiar with, what have been some of the other reasons that the Lakers have been better than many analysts predicted entering this season?
A: The main reason they’ve (exceeded expectations) is that they’re deep. They’ve got 12 guys who can really contribute on any given night. Starting the season, Luke Walton was the Lakers’ best player in training camp – Kobe missed camp recuperating from having knee surgery – and Luke been very, very consistent from the beginning. He’s having a great year.
Also, Andrew Bynum, the 19-year-old, is ahead of schedule. Nobody anticipated that he would be playing at this level, this early in his career. Then you add in a rookie like Jordan Farmar, who has pushed (starting point guard) Smush Parker in practice, and made Parker a better player. When you have a lot of good players and you have a deep roster, the competition within the team makes everyone better.
Q: The Lakers entered Saturday tied with Utah for the fourth-best record in the West, behind Dallas, Phoenix and San Antonio. Which club do you consider to be the team to beat in the conference right now?
A: There is no question that the best team in the West right now is the Dallas Mavericks, followed closely by Phoenix. Those are the two teams that are not only the best in the West, but in the entire league.
Q: Switching to leaguewide topics from this week, what impact do you think the Chris Webber move will have on Detroit?
A: I think it will help Detroit. That will give them a veteran who is a great passing big guy, and who can make that standstill jump shot, even though he’s playing on a leg and a half right now. Last season he averaged almost 20 and 10, so he’s not doing too bad! He’s going to help them down the stretch and into the playoffs.
Q: One of the teams in the Lakers’ division, Golden State, made a trade earlier this week. The big names involved in the deal were Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy to the Pacers; and Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson to the Warriors. Which team got the better end of the trade?
A: I think it might have been an (even trade). Golden State gave up a couple good young players. The Warriors gave up Troy Murphy – I’ve always been a Troy Murphy (supporter) and like him a lot – and Mike Dunleavy, who has always been a solid, fundamental player. I think he will thrive playing under Rick Carlisle in Indiana’s system. He’s not a guy who can thrive in an open-court, create-your-own-shot type of offense. He needs structure, and I think Rick will do that for him.
Now Stephen Jackson, if he can keep himself out of trouble, and on the basketball floor, he should help the Warriors.
So to some degree, I think it’s going to be a lateral move for both teams. Both clubs made those moves maybe for financial reasons – I think the Warriors wanted to unload a couple of those contracts – but at the same time, I don’t think they thought Dunleavy was producing the way Don Nelson wanted him to.
