The current Los Angeles Lakers are not the Showtime Lakers with legend Magic Johnson leading the charge with his flashy passes and shot creations paired up with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and his patented hook shot. Nor are they the dynasty Laker squad at the turn of the century featuring the dynamic duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, but this does not take away from this new-look group because the excitement and potential are evident in each game played.
The team is finally moving on from the legend and powerful aura of one of the greatest to ever play the game in Bryant, and the players are primed to make a statement this season. No, this team is not going to break a record for most wins or win an NBA championship, but what they will do in contrast to recent years is compete.
First-year Head Coach Luke Walton is pushing the envelope with a young Laker core, and the future looks bright in Staples Center. The team has emerging stars with guards D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson, along with the big man, Julius Randle, coming into his own this year. The youth is complemented by promising rookies like Brandon Ingram out of Duke, the high flying-acrobat Larry Nance Jr., seasoned veterans José Calderón and Lou Williams and arguably the early leader for Comeback Player of the Year with Nick Young.
“We have an interesting team. We have a deep team. It’s one of those things that could be our advantage because there’s not really a drop off going down our roster. We can keep playing guys and keep them fresh on the floor, and then we can play at the pace we want to play at,” Walton said about why the Lakers play so many players in each game.
“We’re playing for one another. Anytime you play unselfish basketball, good things will happen. We’re a hungry group of guys,” Nance Jr. said about the Lakers’ success this year.
This hunger for success has been evident in the hustle and energy that the team has put into its season ever since the season opener against the Houston Rockets. The team has even developed a mantra with the help of forward Metta World Peace coined “I love basketball” that they break every huddle with. The players are now playing for the love of the game and putting their personal agendas to the side. This attitude is an integral part of their success and the budding chemistry that is seen on the floor.
Obviously this team still has much room for improvement on the court, and there is still a learning curve that comes with the transition to the NBA that many of the young players are still figuring out, but this team is more than willing to take on the challenge. By breaking through the shadow that was left by the Black Mamba and making this team their own has led to the Lakers beating notable teams like the Warriors, Rockets, Hawks and recently the Thunder. Fans of the team and fans of the game should not be surprised if there is a new Laker dynasty in the upcoming years
