The Los Angeles Lakers have a tremendous opportunity as owners of the no. 2 overall draft pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, one that could become part of a near-future foundation to replace the likes and legacy of Kobe Bryant.
Regardless of who the Minnesota Timberwolves select at no. 1, the Lakers will have a few different options at no. 2. Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak said that up to eight players would earn their consideration for the no. 2 pick. As of late, the ones being talked about most have been D’Angelo Russell, Emmanuel Mudiay, and Duke’s Jahlil Okafor, now reported to be the top target for the Lakers.
Kupchak does know that whoever the Lakers choose in this draft, it certainly won’t be based on how they fit with Kobe Bryant.
via Mark Medina of the LA Daily News:
“He’s never been great with rookies,” Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said of Bryant. “Rookies have come to expect Kobe’s glare, Kobe ignoring him in the locker room and saying things.”
“We’re not going to pick a player because he can play with Kobe, likes Kobe or dislikes Kobe. We’re going to pick the player that can have the longest and best career.”
Of course this only makes sense, as Bryant is entering his 20th and likely his final season. The Lakers are no longer built around the staple of Kobe Bryant. It’s time to adapt, and this can be a promising first step in that transition. At whatever capacity, these young players do still want to want to experience Kobe, even if just because of the idolatry factor. They want his knowledge and mentorship, and even spoke on what it would mean to play with Kobe.
Okafor:
“I love it. I’ll be ready for that,” Okafor said. “He wants to win. Hopefully when I come here, he’ll be super hard on me.”
Mudiay:
“If he steps on the court, he feels like he’s the best player. If I step on the court, I feel like I’m the best player,” Mudiay said. “I admire his determination.”
D’Angelo Russell said it would be “an honor” to be a teammate of Kobe’s in his rookie year.
Kupchak commented that a new crop of youth could make things more fun for Kobe if he’s embracing of it. The Lakers seem ready to embrace whatever new identity lies ahead this offseason post-Kobe Bryant, and the process begins with the NBA Draft on June 25.
