Los Angeles Lakers big man Kevon Looney will be an important piece of the roster this season. While Walker Kessler is slotted in as the starting center, Looney looks to be the primary backup and will provide size, physicality, rebounding and championship experience for this squad.
Most will recall Looney as a longtime member of the Golden State Warriors where he won multiple NBA Championships. During that time he wore the jersey number 5, but for the Lakers he will be going with 55.
“I chose 55 because, growing up one of my friends that passed, he gave me the number 5 and he always wanted me to keep 5, even though I had wanted to change it,” Looney said during a Get to Know segment on Lakers YouTube. “So all that to keep 5 as my number so, 55 it is.”
Honoring a childhood friend is always a beautiful reason to stick with a jersey number and the next best thing aside from the 5 would be 55, so Looney will keep that going. Looney will actually be the eighth player to wear the number for the Lakers with the most notable being Brian Grant, who was acquired in the massive Shaquille O’Neal trade back in 2004.
Looney did also wear 55 last season in his lone year with the New Orleans Pelicans, and he could have switched back to 5 this year with the Lakers as the man who wore it last season, Deandre Ayton, is no longer with the team. But he has chosen to stick with 55.
Of course, more important than the jersey number is what the player wearing it does and the impact he makes and Looney is looking to prove he still has plenty left in the tank. Injuries early in his career forced him to change his style of play, but he still proved to be extremely effective and important for those Warriors championship teams. He is still one of the best offensive rebounders in the league and if he can do that, defend and set good screens he will be a valuable piece of this team.
Kevon Looney discusses what he hopes to provide to Lakers young players
Looney will be one of the true veteran voices on the Lakers roster and while he wants to contribute on the court, he also understands the importance of helping the young players find their way.
“Just kind of show them the way, some of things that I learned from the veterans that I played with,” Looney said via the Lakers YouTube channel. “Some of the championship tendencies and knowledge that they’ve given me. Hopefully, we can start the journey to winning one together. Also, just learning from them. The NBA is always evolving, players are always changing, there’s always new stuff coming to the league and I want to learn from them as well.”
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