Matthew Valento

Matthew Valento graduated from Boise State University with a major in integrated media and strategic communications and a minor in journalism. He grew up in Santa Clarita, California and played basketball at Saugus High School. Along with writing for LakersNation.com, Matthew also hosts a basketball podcast called, "The Basketball Maestros." Contact: MattV@MediumLargeLA.com Twitter: @matthewvalento Instagram: matthew.valento
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Lakers Video: Stephen A. Smith Fine With Never Speaking To LeBron James Again

A moment from last season that got a lot of attention was a confrontation between ESPN's Stephen A. Smith and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. Both of them are powerhouses in their respective fields and it was clear that…

Lakers Rumors: Luka Doncic Avoids Serious Knee Injury In Slovenia’s Loss To Latvia

This summer has been an important one for new Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic as he got himself in tremendous shape to prepare for next season. After a shocking departure from the Dallas Mavericks, the Slovenian guard is looking…

Lakers Rumors: Rui Hachimura Unlikely To Receive Contract Extension

The future of Rui Hachimura has been an interesting storyline to monitor for the Los Angeles Lakers. Originally drafted in the lottery by the Washington Wizards, he did not live up to the expectations which led to him being traded…

Lakers News: Marcus Smart Believes JJ Redick Deserves More Credit For IQ

Marcus Smart is the latest addition for the Los Angeles Lakers and he will presumably play a massive role in head coach JJ Redick's defensive system. As a former Defensive Player of the Year, Smart is looking to get back…

NBA Schedule Leaks: Lakers’ First Matchup Against Mavericks Will Be During NBA Cup

Luka Doncic has been a man on a mission this offseason as he completely transformed his body and conditioning. Now starting a new chapter with the Los Angeles Lakers, he is looking to disprove all the negative narratives surrounding his…

Lakers Video: Jaylen Brown Names Kobe Bryant & LeBron James In Top Five Favorite Players

All-time conversations are frequent in NBA circles due to how many greats have come into the league. In this recent era of stars, players like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are two that have made an argument for themselves to…

This Day In Lakers History: Stephen Curry & LeBron James Help Win Gold For USA Over France In 2024 Olympics

Leading up to the 2024 Olympics, expectations were through the roof for Team USA as they assembled a roster filled with stars like Los Angeles Lakers legend LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Joel Embiid and more. However,…

2024-2025 Los Angeles Lakers Player Review: Shake Milton

Last December, the Los Angeles Lakers decided to make a mid-season trade to acquire Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton from the Brooklyn Nets for D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second round picks. After not making a single new acquisition…

NBA Schedule Leaks: LeBron James & Lakers Travel To Play Cavaliers On Jan. 28

Amid the dog days of the NBA offseason, this is typically the time where key regular season matchups leak to build anticipation for the full schedule release in late August. Initially, the Christmas Day games were revealed, which featured an…

Lakers News: LeBron James Shows Love To Browns’ Shedeur Sanders After NFL Preseason Debut

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has dealt with over the top media attention for his entire career, having to dispel trivial narratives countless times. Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who made a name for himself during his two…