Team chemistry is an underrated element in sports when it comes to building a championship roster.
The Los Angeles Lakers know full well what it looks like when players come together to achieve a specific goal. In the early 2000s, Los Angeles rattled off a three-peat behind Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, though they had high-level role players like Robert Horry flanking them.
Of course, the drama of those Lakers teams is well-documented but they found enough common ground to make it work. In an appearance on “All The Smoke,” Horry retold a story how Phil Jackson was able to get his team to bond off the floor:
“You got to like each other. You got to like each other, man and I think I’ve never played it…like we would all go to dinners. I think when even when we was the Lakers we weren’t really a cohesive group. And Phil, one time Phil said, ‘Alright, nobody making plans we all getting on the bus’ because he know when we make plans we on the road you get to the hotel, we got limos, we all in a limo, we gone. He said nobody make plans. He made us all god to a comedy club. We went in through the backdoors, probably like this and we’re like, ‘Where the -expletive- we at,’ right? This is the first time I ever seen Fluffy. Yeah, Gabriel Iglesias. He was funny as -expletive- We all laughed.
“And then from that moment on, we started doing a lot more things as a team. And it’s amazing how we would come, ‘Oh yeah, we friends, we good’ but we weren’t that close. And from that moment on we became closer.’
Like every workplace, being able to get along with your coworkers is a vital part toward achieving goals. This year’s Lakers team knows full well what the power of chemistry can do as theirs went to another level after the trade deadline.
It’s a good lesson for the front office this summer as it decides on multiple players’ futures, so hopefully they make the right choice and allow the group to continue growing together.
Rob Pelinka to prioritize keeping Lakers core together
Despite getting swept in the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers should still be proud of what they were able to accomplish. The roster looks like it can legitimate compete for a title which is why Rob Pelinka said he’s going to prioritize keeping their core together.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!