Son of ex-Lakers champion lands workout with team
Nov 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers President Jeanie Buss before the game against the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center. Bulls won 118-110. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers are keeping it all in the family as they look ahead to next season.
Ryan Ward of Lakers Nation reported on Tuesday that former University of Colorado forward Jabari Walker is among the draft prospects working out with the Lakers this week. Jabari is the son of retired ex-NBA forward Samaki Walker.
Samaki played for the Lakers from 2001 to 2003, winning a title with them in 2002. He is best known for his halftime buzzer-beating three in Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals against the Sacramento Kings (the same game Robert Horry later won with a buzzer-beating three of his own).
As for Jabari, he averaged 14.6 points and 9.4 rebounds a game for Colorado as a sophomore last season. He told reporters on Tuesday that he was not a Lakers fan growing up and instead rooted for LeBron James’ teams.
Jabari Walker says even though his dad Samaki Walker played for the Lakers that he wasn't a fan of the team. "I was a LeBron fan, so wherever LeBron was, that was the team I was rooting for."
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) June 14, 2022
Jabari is not the only famous family member to score a workout with the Lakers this month. The son of another (way better-known) former Laker also worked out with the team recently.
