Luke Walton is old enough to make jokes in front of Lakers President Jeanie Buss and doctors from UCLA, and just young enough to connect with the Lakers’ young core of players.
“I had a long speech written out,” the 36-year-old Lakers coach said Wednesday at a news conference to announce naming rights for the team’s new practice facility in El Segundo. “But then I saw that you guys invited seven of my players, and I know that they can’t be in the gym working until we finish here. So I’m going to keep it short.”
The audience laughed, including D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and 2016 first-round pick Brandon Ingram.