The Los Angeles Lakers begin training camp in Santa Barbara in just under two weeks, concluding a long offseason that featured a lot of organizational changes which included the Lakers hiring Luke Walton to be their next head coach and drafting Brandon Ingram with the No. 2 overall pick, and losing a legend in Kobe Bryant to retirement, among other changes.
For the Lakers young core nucleus, the focus of the offseason was on getting better together.
D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, and Ingram competed for the USA Select Team, and all of them along with the other young Lakers have been training at the Lakers practice facility along with other NBA players.
Randle, who is heading into his second full NBA season after missing almost his entire rookie season, recently talked with Time Warner Cable Sportsnet’s Mike Bresnahan about what he has been up to this offseason.
“It has been a long offseason,” Randle said. “Not making the playoffs, not even being able to really compete for the playoffs was frustrating, so its been a long offseason and I’m tired of drills and practice, I’m ready to get to the real thing. Especially with a new environment guys are having fun, so I’m excited.”
He also talked about what he focused on this offseason to get better.
“Just playing as hard as I can, trying to get into top shape. Playing with a lot of energy and motor, stuff like that. Then just playing unselfish, moving the ball, so the open man gets the shot. I feel like this year we’re really playing for each other rather than playing for ourselves. It’s just a different energy.”
In his first full NBA season, Randle averaged 11.3 points and 10.2 rebounds on 43 percent shooting. He figures to battle with Larry Nance Jr. during camp for the starting power forward job.
