The Los Angeles Lakers are continuing their work ahead of the 2022 NBA Draft and their latest group workout will include some very intriguing prospects. Chief among them is Vanderbilt guard Scotty Pippen Jr., son of NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, as well as Davidson wing Hyunjung Lee. Also taking part in the group workout is Lucas Williamson of Loyola-Chicago, Jamal Cain of Oakland, Notre Dame’s Paul Atkinson Jr. and Gaige Prim of Missouri State.
Pippen is the most well-known of the group as a two-time All-SEC First team selection who led the conference in scoring last season at 20.4 points per game to go along with 4.5 assists and 1.9 steals for the Commodores. He also led the nation in free throws made and attempted.
Lee is another interesting prospect as the 6’7 wing averaged 15.8 points and 6.0 rebounds for Davidson last year, being selected to the Atlantic-10 First Team. He also shot 39.7% from 3-point range in his college career on more than five attempts per game so he has all the potential makings of an ideal 3-and-D wing.
Williamson was a part of the Loyola-Chicago team that shockingly made the Final Four in 2018 and is known for his defense as the two-time Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He also shot 39% from deep in 5.7 attempts last season.
Cain was the Horizon League Player of the Year at Oakland after transferring from Marquette, averaging 19.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.8 steals. Atkinson is a big man who was Ivy League Player of the Year at Yale before transferring to Notre Dame where he averaged a solid 12.5 points and 6.9 rebounds. Prim led the Missouri Valley Conference in rebounds and blocked shots per game and was a two-time All-MVC First Team selection who averaged 16.3 points and 8.0 rebounds.
The Lakers currently do not own a pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, but there remains the possibility that the team could acquire one, especially in the second round, as they have done in the past. Both recent instances of that worked out well for the Lakers as they would take Jordan Clarkson in 2014 and Talen Horton-Tucker in 2019.
Darvin Ham officially announced as Lakers head coach
If any of these prospects do find themselves with the Lakers, they now know who will be leading the charge as former Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham has been officially announced as the new head coach of the Lakers.
Ham has been an assistant in the NBA since 2011 including a three-year stint with the Lakers and has spent the last five seasons in Milwaukee where he won a championship last year.
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