For the first time in 20 seasons, the Los Angeles Lakers do not have Kobe Bryant in their roster anymore. The Black Mamba played his last game in the NBA last season and is now officially retired.

It may be tough for the team to move on from his greatness, but Jordan Clarkson says they are trying their best to do it, but admitted it's not the same without him.

“We've kind of moved on. It's almost like breaking up with your girlfriend. It's kind of weird without them around and stuff. But it's just us. We're in our own space now. We're creating something new.”

The Lakers have since added a new head coach in Luke Walton and also brought in veterans to lead their young core in an attempt to speed up their rebuilding process. And it has paid off so far during the start of this season as they have been one of the more surprising teams in the league.

They got off to a good start when they won their first game against the Houston Rockets and also stunned the Golden State Warriors when they blew them out with a huge win last week. The Lakers currently have a 4-4 record which is way better than what many believed they'll be in at this point.

Clarkson has been one of the bright spots for the Lakers with averages of 15.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in eight games. He and the team are trying to put the tough times all in the past and discussed how much fun they're having now.

“Last year, it was a tough season. This year we're having fun, going out there and just playing like we're kids out in the park, playing free. It's just a whole new vibe.”

Even without Bryant, his former teammates will bring a lot of what they learned from him to help them continue in developing their game. They also understand that the mentality the five-time NBA champion shared with them is something they can hold on for years to come.