After being traded to the Lakers on the trade deadline last March, Ramon Sessions has spent some time adjusting to life in Los Angeles. Previously a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Sessions was unaccustomed to the amount of hoopla surrounding himself and the rest of the team.
In a recent interview with Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld, Sessions explained how much different it was being a member of the Lakers as opposed to being on the Cavaliers.
“I was staying in a hotel right by the practice facility at first and I would see some fans waiting out back when I left,” Sessions said. “One time, I parked in the front of the hotel and started walking down the hallway. The next thing I know, there are five fans running after me in the hallway. It was crazy. They came out of nowhere and they were coming at me. I was just thinking, ‘What is going on?’”
There’s no doubt life moves a little faster in Los Angeles than in towns like Cleveland, but the amount of fans that are devoted to the Lakers is certainly a little staggering. After spending his career in small markets (Cleveland, Milwaukee, Minnesota) playing in L.A. has been a major eye-opener for Sessions, who says that it’s unlike anything else.
“Nobody knows what its like,” Sessions said with a laugh. “People may think they know, but they don’t have any idea how much different it is to be a Laker. No disrespect to the other places that I’ve been, but it’s totally different out here. Even just walking around, it’s crazy. It’s the Lakers. You’re on T.V. every night and everyone knows who you are. I had paparazzi follow me. That’s a first, for sure. It’s wild out here. The Lakers are the show that everyone watches around here.”
Sessions’ future in Los Angeles is still up in the air, as he has a player option he is expected to opt out of, allowing him to explore the free agency waters. While he has mentioned his desire to return to L.A. next season, if he gets a higher offer from another team he may be tempted to take it.
The Lakers have also expressed their intention on re-signing Sessions, but until a deal is done anything can obviously happen.