The front office of the Los Angeles Lakers understood that a complete overhaul of the organization was necessary, in order to move towards the future of Lakers basketball. With Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka now running the show, one of their first major hires was the new Director of Strength and Endurance Training, Gunnar Peterson.
Peterson has a lengthy pedigree in the fitness world, serving as the lead trainer for many famous celebrities, including Johnson himself. With the Lakers transitioning towards their new training facility, Peterson will be given the state-of-the-art necessities, in order to improve the overall conditioning and endurance of the roster.
Although the NBA season has officially come to an end, you can find the young core of the Lakers in the gym, eagerly improving. Forward Larry Nance Jr., with all the athleticism in the world, decided to work alongside Peterson on some core and abdominal workouts, via Peterson’s Instagram:
Often viewed as the most mature player of the young core, Nance Jr. was steadily improving his all-around game during his second season. Figuring to be a key piece to the 2017-18 season, Nance Jr. is already working hard towards leading the resurgent Lakers, with both his basketball IQ and hustle on the court.
Peterson laid out the foundation to his plans when he was originally hired in late May, stating that his goal is to improve the overall athleticism of this young roster. He has spoken in depth about increasing Brandon Ingram’s lower-body strength, while also wanting to work on Ivica Zubac’s lateral quickness.
While Nance Jr. certainly doesn’t require as much athletic workouts as other Lakers, he is certainly leading by example. During his sophomore season, Nance Jr. averaged 7.1 points, 5.9 rebound, 1.3 steals and 1.5 assists in 22.9 minutes per game.
The Lakers certainly have turned the page on their new era of basketball, with the rebuilding phase entering its fourth season. While fans anxiously wait towards the 2017 NBA Draft, the young core of the Lakers remain focused on improving their overall game each and every day.
