LA Lakers News Roundup: Draymond Green ecstatic about the Lakers hiring Darvin Ham, Netflix's "Stranger Things" star pays tribute to Kobe Bryant, and more - June 1st, 2022
The LA Lakers are one of the NBA's most storied franchises. Their lineage dates from the introduction of the league in the 1940s, and they have been the NBA's most successful franchise ever since. They have been to more NBA Finals than any other franchise and are tied for the most championships (17, with Boston Celtics).
Naturally, many of their players are legends. From Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain to Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, these all-time greats have inspired generations of athletes.
The Lakers just hired a new head coach, and things are trending in the right direction for now. Let's look at the top news stories around the Purple and Gold in the last 24 hours.
Draymond Green says LA Lakers hiring Darvin Ham is "everything" for him
Draymond Green is particularly excited about the LA Lakers hiring Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham as their new head coach. Ham isn't just an experiment but has signed a four-year contract. The reason why Green is so excited about this particular hire by his division rivals is because Ham is from Saginaw, Michigan.
Green and Ham graduated from Saginaw High, sharing that hometown connection. Green believes people from a small town like him don't get the opportunity to be a part of a historic organization like the Lakers. He said:
"The head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, a kid from Saginaw? That’s groundbreaking. Man, that’s big time. When you come from small places like that, you really grab on to that. Because ultimately what you are looking for is hope. ... What a signing like Darvin Ham does, it gives that young kid hope.
"So, for me, this is so much bigger than than some Xs and Os or like, 'Oh, man, the Lakers hired another coach.' For me, this is everything."
Shoutout to the OG! Congrats D HAM!! twitter.com/TheVolumeSport…
Caleb McLaughlin pays tribute to the late great Kobe Bryant on his show "Stranger Things"
Caleb McLaughlin is one of the main protagonists in the popular Netflix original series "Stranger Things." He plays the character of Lucas Sinclair, and one of his idols growing up was Kobe Bryant. In a scene in Season 4, where he had to don a basketball jersey, he chose No. 8 in honor of Bryant's retired number.
The #8 jersey Lucas wears is a nod to Kobe Bryant’s first jersey number. @calebmclaughlin is a huge fan and had the idea to pay tribute to Kobe through his character’s jersey 💛💜 https://t.co/PjT9uWxbqD
LA Lakers reveal the list of players working out for them ahead of the NBA draft
Austin Reaves was an undrafted player who signed with the LA Lakers and has turned out to be one of their best assets. The Wichita State product can shoot, defend and play off the ball for screens and cuts. The Lakers are hoping to bag another such player in the draft on June 23. However, they have no first-round picks as their No. 8 overall pick was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Lakers revealed the players who have worked out for them so far as they prepare to bolster their roster with young talent. The players are Omari Moore (San Jose State), Lester Quinones (Memphis), Trevion Williams (Purdue), Trey McGowens (Nebraska), Will Richardson (Oregon) and Brison Gresham (Texas Southern).
Working out for the #LakeShow today: Omari Moore
@omari_moore13 x @SanJoseStateMBB https://t.co/MslYRFP3ZX