EL SEGUNDO — On Saturday afternoon, before the Lakers began to trickle out from within the glass-paneled UCLA Health Training Facility in El Segundo, approximately 100 kids from Boys and Girls Clubs around the greater Los Angeles area loaded up on sugary hot chocolate, cookies, and marshmallows, a small appetizer before getting the chance to hang out with some of their favorite players in person.
The first Laker to amble out of the building in socks and slides was the youngest member of the squad, Talen Horton-Tucker. As he patiently waited his turn in a game of pop-a-shot with some of the kids, onlookers designing ornaments at one of the arts and crafts tables thought they may have caught a glimpse of one of their heroes.