With his second season in the NBA coming to a close, Jordan Clarkson has proven to be a promising young player for the Los Angeles Lakers with a potentially bright future ahead.
Clarkson has had the privilege of learning from one of the greatest players of all time during his short time in Los Angeles. The second-year guard has tried to soak up as much knowledge as possibly from Bryant as he prepares to be the future Hall of Famer’s successor at the shooting guard position.
In a recent interview with Francisco Arechiga of East West Bank, Clarkson talks about wanting to follow in Kobe’s footsteps with the five-time NBA champion giving him the blueprint to succeed:
“You see great players like Kobe, they’re always in the gym. They’re working on their craft. So I’m just trying to follow the blueprint for success that they’ve laid out, and listen to what they’ve said.”
Los Angeles originally had one pick in the 2014 NBA Draft at seventh overall. After selecting Julius Randle out of Kentucky, the team’s front office was intent on acquiring another pick in the draft.
The Lakers acquired Clarkson with the 46th pick in the draft from the Washington Wizards. Los Angeles purchased the pick from Washington, and it has proved to be one of the team’s best investments over the last few years.
Last season, Clarkson made quite an impression as an overlooked second-round draft pick for the Lakers. The Missouri product went on to earn All-NBA Rookie First Team honors while being one of the most consistent players on the Lakers.
Clarkson has followed up an impressive rookie campaign with a solid sophomore season. The 23-year-old is now a full-time starter in the backcourt and an important part of the team’s rebuilding efforts along with Randle and D’Angelo Russell.