By now, the majority of NBA fans have heard that Luke Walton is known for being a players’ coach, but now you can take a look inside a Los Angeles Lakers practice yourself. From jumping in on drills to rebounding with his players, to battling in the low-post and cracking jokes on the sidelines, Walton has a way of making his players feels comfortable.
There’s a reason that current Lakers say they would run through a wall for Walton, who at just 36 years of age is the youngest coach in the NBA. During his 10 seasons as a player (winning two championships with the purple and gold), teammates and coaches often predicted that both his basketball IQ and overall demeanor would make him a great coach in the NBA someday.
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Though, it would have been difficult for anyone to predict that time would come so soon. Walton started to publicly gain that reputation as an assistant coach to Steve Kerr with the Golden State Warriors. Walton then received national recognition after taking over during Steve Kerr’s leave of absence, as interim head coach, and leading the Warriors to a 39-4 record and a historic 24-0 start.
When Walton signed a five-year deal as head coach with his former team, Kerr predicted the Lakers had absolutely made the right choice. Now, it’s clear that Walton is pointing this young franchise in the right direction.
Though hitting an eight-game losing streak speed bump, after an impressive 10-10 start, the important thing is for players, coaches and fans alike, to trust the process.