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D'Angelo Russell and Nick Van Exel Side by Side

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D’Angelo Russell Breaks the Lakers Franchise Record for 3s in a Season

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Teammates help Jarred Vanderbilt celebrate his birthday

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Happy Birthday Vando

Matthew Barrero

Following the official introduction to new head coach Darvin Ham, the Lakers welcomed six more prospects for a draft workout; their sixth of the offseason.

- Remy Martin (Kansas)
- Johnny Juzang (UCLA)
- Jermaine Samuels (Villanova)
- Michael Devoe (Georgia Tech)
- Haowen Guo (Shanghai Sharks)
- Kenneth Lofton Jr. (Louisiana Tech)

Juzang and Lofton Jr. spoke with the media following the workout and both emphasized the importance of working on their individual games and showcasing the other talents on the court.

“You got to get that flow going,” Juzang said. “Encourage each other and build the confidence. The process has been great because you’re traveling around the country, playing basketball, and competing.”

Juzang played one season at Kentucky (2019-20) before transferring to UCLA prior to the 2020-21 season. He grew up in Los Angeles and played high school ball at Harvard-Westlake in nearby Studio City.

During his sophomore season, he averaged 16.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. The 6’7 guard was at the forefront of the college basketball world during UCLA’s NCAA Tournament run in April 2021 where he led the Bruins from the First Four to the Final Four.

Juzang became the third player in UCLA history to score at least 20 points in their first two NCAA Tournament games, joining Reggie Miller and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (formerly Lew Alcindor) and became the first player since Oscar Robertson (1960) to score at least half of his team’s points in a regional finals win.

In six tournament games, Juzang averaged 22.8 points and was named to the 2021 All-Tournament Team. His 137 total points were the second-most by a UCLA player in the tournament behind only Gail Goodrich’s 140 points in 1965.

Despite playing for a smaller school, Kenneth Lofton Jr. (no relation to former MLB and Los Angeles Dodgers player Kenny Lofton) earned equally high recognition particularly for his performance against NC State in November 2021.

Lofton Jr. scored a career-high 36 points (most by a LA Tech player since 2016) on 14-of-19 shooting and grabbed 17 rebounds on top of it.

“I went out there and played my game,” Lofton Jr. noted. “It was a great game for me, and I did put myself on the map, but it doesn’t mean too much because we didn’t get the win. Today was a great workout and I feel pretty great overall.”

In just two seasons playing for the Bulldogs, the 6’7 power forward was named Conference USA Freshman of the Year and earned Third-Team All-C-USA honors (2021) and was named to the First-Team All-Conference USA this past season.

During the summer following his freshman season, Lofton Jr. represented the United States at the 2021 FIBA U-19 World Cup in Latvia, where he averaged 13.1 points and 5.3 rebounds and helped team USA win the gold medal.

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Lakers Draft Workout: Prospects Understand the Spotlight

Mike Trudell

Darvin Ham was introduced as the 28th coach in Los Angeles Lakers history on Monday afternoon at the UCLA Health Training Center.

“The fact that I got my start as a coach here, this place will always be special to me,” said Ham. “I always paid attention to what was going on with the Lakers even in my others travels in Atlanta and Milwaukee. So it’s like a homecoming to me, in all seriousness.”

Ham, who was a Lakers assistant coach from 2011-13, spent the last several seasons with Milwaukee, aiding the 2020-21 title-winning Bucks in his 12th season overall as a coach.

A tough yet positive individual, Ham grew up in Saginaw, Mich., as an all-around athlete whose first love was football. He played college basketball at Texas Tech before fighting his way towards an 8-year NBA playing career despite going undrafted. He also had a stint as a G-League head coach and GM prior to getting the call to join the Lakers.

“When someone begins his NBA coaching career at the G League level and goes all the way through playing an integral role on the front bench of an NBA Championship team, it really speaks to a certain strength of character,” summarized Lakers VP of Basketball Ops Rob Pelinka. “Our players and fans will immediately identify with Darvin’s no-nonsense and hard-working approach, which we feel will bring toughness and a competitive edge to all we do.

“When you add that to Darvin’s sophisticated grasp of in-game strategy and deep knowledge of the game of basketball, we have the ideal coach for this next chapter in Lakers history. We could not be more honored and proud to name Darvin Ham as our new head coach.”

While Ham is officially the 28th coach of the Lakers, only 17 men have coached a full NBA season, with 11 coaches either serving on an interim basis, or being let go before a full campaign.

As a player, Ham played a role, typically in the power forward spot. He never averaged more than 22.6 minutes per game, with 5.1 points and 4.9 boards serving as career highs in 1999-2000 for Milwaukee. He also played for Detroit – where he won a title in 2004 – as well as Atlanta, Milwaukee, Washington, Indiana and Denver.

That grind he experienced as a player who went abroad to compete in three different countries has very much informed the way he coaches.

“I think it makes you more appreciative,” he said. “I wasn’t blessed with this otherworldly talent. I was a pretty good athlete who could hold my own on the court a little bit, but the sweet jump shots, the no look passes, that wasn’t a part of my game.

“I was a blue-collar contributor on a lot of teams … it prepares you, creates a certain type of mentality to where you don’t want to cut any corners. Understand what the details are. Whether you’re watching film, talking about coverages or doing workouts in the summer time. Being specifically locked in on what your job is going to be. Being able to coach these guys at this level … everyone has talent, but how do you focus that talent in the right areas and right directions so your team can thrive?”

Asked if he focuses more on either offense or defense, Ham said it’s all part of the game.

“I think it’s a 360-degree coaching style,” he explained. “Both parts of the floor are connected. You hear about these offensive gurus or these defensive gurus — both sides of the ball affect one another. If you’re able to play great defense, then your offense is going to look great because you’re not playing against a set defense. If you’re allowing people to score, then your offense is going to struggle because you’re playing against a set defense. So you just have to be well-rounded.”

Last time Ham was in Los Angeles as an assistant coach, he spent a lot of time with Kobe Bryant, both on the court in workouts and in the film room.

“It was great,” he reflected. “We spent a lot of time together on the practice floor, individual workouts, watching clips. And (I learned) if I can go back and forth with him, and him disagree with me and then double back and tell me I was right, we all know how stubborn he was. It gave me a wealth of confidence in myself as a coach.

“Seeing him and him sharing different ways he saw the game (was huge). And even with Russ (Westbrook), Lebron, (Anthony Davis), Giannis (Antetokounmpo) Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, Paul Millsap ... these guys I’ve been able to coach and learn from them. It’s a two-way street, not just this coach that thinks he knows it all and is barking orders. You have to be able to collaborate, communicate and understand each other. Not your way or my way, but what’s the best way to go forward? Kobe was right at the forefront of that in my development as a coach. He’s a big part of why I was able to grow the way I did as a coach.”

“It’s easy to be grateful when you find a candidate you feel is the ideal fit for what the franchise is looking for,” said Pelinka. “That’s what Coach Ham represents to us. When you have a career coaching journey that starts in the G-League … and your arc takes you to strong franchises that have had success including a championship … you have a certain DNA, fabric and strength of character, and it came through so powerfully to everybody in the coaching committee. We were able to land on coach Ham as our unanimous choice to recommend to our owner, Jeanie Buss, for her approval.

Ham has already been in touch with several Lakers players, and is very eager to get to work to see how quickly L.A. can get back to where it wants to be.

“Sky is the limit,” he said. “We’re not putting a ceiling on our situation. We’ll go as far as our daily preparation takes us … We’re going to get better every day. The things we’re going to do in that daily process will lead to the kind of success this franchise and this city have been accustomed to.”

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Lakers Introduce Head Coach Darvin Ham

On the first day of June, the Lakers held a fourth workout session for prospects as the NBA Draft looms almost three weeks to the day.

Wednesday’s list of potential pickups included:

- R.J. Cole (UConn)
- Jules Bernard (UCLA)
- Kur Kuath (Marquette)
- Jaden Shackelford (Alabama)
- Zyon Pullin (UC Riverside)
- David McCormack (Kansas)

Draft night is always special for the young men who strive to make it into the league but that doesn’t take away from those who have entered as undrafted players.

Looking back in league history, some of the most prolific players did not hear their name on draft night. This includes former players Ben Wallace, John Starks, and Bruce Bowen, and current Toronto Raptors guard Fed VanVleet, to name a few.

The unique similarity of those four is that they didn’t come from huge college basketball schools, unlike Jules Bernard, who spent all four of his seasons playing for UCLA.

“I’m someone who is about winning,” Bernard noted in his post session interview. “I went to UCLA because of the winning culture. The one thing that translates well is my winning and competitive mentalities. I understand what gets me on the court and what helps the team win. My time there definitely helped get me prepared for this next level.”

Bernard has grown up in Los Angeles and attended Windward School for high school ball before committing to the Bruins.

In his senior season, Bernard averaged 12.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 35 games.

The 22-year-old guard emphasized the importance of being a sponge during this process, knowing at any second he can get the call to join the league.

“I feel I have the ability and the mindset to come in and effect the game right away,” Bernard said. “In this situation, there are a lot of older guys (noting the Lakers current roster) and a lot of great minds on this team. So, I’m taking in as much information and continuing to be a competitor.”

From another elite college basketball school is David McCormack, who capped his senior year at Kansas with a national championship win over North Carolina.

The 6’10 center scored a team-high 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, leading the Jayhawks in the largest comeback in NCAA tournament history (trailed by 15 at halftime).

“That’s something that will stick with me forever,” McCormack explained with a smile. “It’s an awesome feeling but at the same time I always need to make sure I’m locked in, focusing on the next part of my journey.”

McCormack finished his final college season with 10.6 points on 50.8 percent from the field (led team), 7.0 rebounds, and earned Third-team All-Big 12.

The grind has had no days off, for McCormack because of the Jayhawks long run into April and immediately jumping into draft workouts. But the big man is not fazed by having continuous work.

“It’s a blessing,” he said. “I always tell myself; you’ve dreamed, prayed, and hoped to be in this position. Why, at this point, when you’re tired and a little fatigued give up or lay down now? This has been a driving goal and there’s zero reason to let up when you’re right on the doorstep. I remind myself of that and it makes everything else easy.”

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Winning Culture Highlights Fourth Draft Workout

On Tuesday morning, the Lakers welcomed another set of prospects, continuing a steady march towards the NBA Draft in June, and the subsequent free agency period.

- Brison Gresham (Texas Southern)
-	Terry McGowens (Nebraska)
-	Omari Moore (San Jose State)
-	Lester Quinones (Memphis)
-	Will Richardson (Oregon)
-	Trevion Williams (Purdue)

The players, ranging in age from 21.5 years (Quinones) to 22.7 (Richardson), all have dreams of being drafted. The Lakers don’t have either their first or second round picks this season, due to previous trades … but the option to trade for a pick is often in play.

Furthermore, L.A. have utilized undrafted players like Alex Caruso and Austin Reaves in the recent past, bringing the players into the Summer League setting, then putting them on two-way contracts until each eventually earned a spot on the full squad.

“Most definitely, one of the greatest things recently is the two-way contracts, because a lot of kids gets stuck thinking they should leave college, or get bad information from their agent or their parents, and they don’t necessarily get drafted,” said Richardson. “Before they were just in a grey area, but now with two ways, or (players) getting pulled up from the G-League with Covid going on, people missing games, injuries … it gives kids a second chance or a better chance when the might not have gotten that chance before. It’s a positive.”

Richardson, an All-Pac-12 Second Team selection, averaged 14.1 points, 3.7 boards, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals at Oregon.

“The workout was pretty good; great group of kids here,” he said. “The coaching staff was really involved got us going. What I bring to the table is I’m an older guy; leadership, I’m vocal, I know how to play the right way. I know all the reads, how to keep my teammates going in the game. On the court, I do a little bit of everything. I can play on the ball, off the ball, I can really shoot, I can dribble, pass … I’m an average defender.”

Richardson shared what L.A.’s coaching staff, including G-League head coach Miles Simon, relayed while running the workouts.

“Just being competitive and vocal,” he said. “Being who you are, not trying to be something more than what you are. Doing your role, playing it the best. If you’re a great defender, go out there and defend every play. The most important part is just be in shape; that’s the thing that’s going to help you the most, especially going through this (draft) process flying city to city, place to place, eating late … just taking care of your body (is key).”

Richardson said his Lakers workout was his seventh or eighth of the pre-draft process. Seven? Eight? His uncertainty reflects just how laborious the process is. And while the workouts may be taxing for players like Richardson that are performing for several teams, the dream of being drafted conquers all.

“The mental side can creep in, but when this is your livelihood and all you’ve ever dreamed of, that really doesn’t get to you,” said Richardson. “It’s more the fatigue part, like your legs start getting tired. Some day you might jump this high, the next day you’ll be like, ‘Man, I’m tired.’ Maybe you’re in L.A. one day, Orlando the next. But as long as you know this is what you want to do with your life, this is really what you want, it shouldn’t be a big problem.”

“This is what you ask for,” said Trevion Williams, a Purdue big man who put up 12.0 points and 7.4 blocks, after completing his sixth of 12 or 13 workouts. “I put in the work and I prepared myself for this. It’s been a little tough, with workouts back to back, but the bright side is, you get to see different places. That’s the upside. You just gotta find a way to have fun with your work.”

There are similarities with how many teams run the workouts, but L.A.’s stood out in certain ways.

“One thing that stood out today is they emphasized the way we guarded the ball screen,” Richardson explained. “We iced on the side, then we sent weak or to the left (on) middle ball screens. That was interesting right there.”

Regardless of the directives, most of the players are looking to accomplish the same goal.

“We all show up for the same reason,” Williams summarized. “To compete, and show people why we belong.”

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Dreams Over Grind in Draft Workouts

After Monday evening's Lakers loss at San Antonio, Russell Westbrook was asked about his wife Nina's social media post:

"I think for one, I 100 percent stand behind my wife and how she's feeling," said Westbrook. "It's not just about this year. Right now, she's reached a point and my family has reached a point where it's really weighing on them. And it's very unfortunate, just for me personally, because this is just a game ... This is not end all, be all. When it comes to basketball, I don't mind the criticism of missing and making shots. But the moment is becomes where my name is getting shamed, it becomes an issue."

Westbrook and his wife have three children: twin 3-year-old daughters, and a 4-year-old son. After conferences at his son's school, Westbrook has been thinking about some of the criticism he's seeing differently.

"It really kind of hit me the other day," he explained. "Me and my wife were at teacher-parent conferences for my son. And the teacher told me, 'Noah, he's so proud of his last name. He writes it everywhere. He writes it on every thing. He tells everybody and walks around and says, 'I'm Westbrook.' ...And I kind of sat there in shock and it hit me like, 'Damn. I can no longer allow people...' Westbrick for example, to me, is now shaming. It's shaming my name, my legacy for my kids. It's a name that means, not just to me, but to my wife, to my mom, my dad, the ones that kind of paved the way for me. That's just one example. That kind of hit myself and my wife in a place where it's not great."

Westbrook was asked if things have been worse this season.

"It's been like this for my entire career," he responded. "I've been blessed and super thankful for the ones around me and the ones that support me, but it's really the shaming of my name, the shaming of my character, the shaming of who I am as a person is, to me, not warranted. I haven't done anything to anybody. I haven't hurt anyone. I haven't done anything but play basketball a way that people might not like. And this is just a game. Just a game. This is not my entire life. I think that's the ultimate thing that's been for me. I don't like to harp on it or want it out there. But once it starts to affect my family, my wife."

Being subject to certain types of criticism has made Westbrook reconsider whether or not he  wants his family to come to games.

"Even today, my mom said something about it," he said. "It affects them even going to games. Like, I don't even want to bring my kids to the game because I don't want them to hear people calling their dad nicknames and other names for no reason because he's playing the game that he loves. And it's gotten so bad where my family don't even want to go to home games, to any game, because of -- not just the media across the globe use their platforms to constantly shame, shame me -- and it's just super unfortunate, man. And it's super upsetting to me. I'm at a point where I'm going to continue to address it. It's just unfortunate."