The Los Angeles Lakers announced on Wednesday that they have hired former Virginia Men's Basketball head coach Tony Bennett to serve as their new NBA Draft Advisor. In this new role, Bennett will hold a key role alongside executive Rob Pelinka in the Lakers' decisions both during and before the draft, aiding in player evaluations, scouting, and final decisions as to who the organization should select.
“We're thrilled and honored to welcome Tony as an advisor to the Lakers basketball operations department,” Pelinka said in the team's statement on Wednesday. “As we refine and build out our NBA draft scouting processes, we could think of no better basketball mind than Tony Bennett to have as a resource. Tony's track record of forming culture, with high-character, high-skill, and high-IQ players, is revered and respected across all basketball circles.
“Tony will be an incredible asset to our basketball leadership, to our scouts, and to our draft department as a whole. We are truly excited.”
Bennett, 56, retired as the head coach of Virginia in 2024, stunning many around the college basketball atmosphere with his decision. He left after being named the national coach of the year three different times and leading Virginia to a national championship in 2019, becoming the fourth former NBA player to win a national championship as a head coach.
As the head coach of Virginia, Bennett went 364-136 (.728), including 189-82 (.697) in ACC play.
“When Rob and I began talking, what stood out to me was the chance to help out such a storied organization,” Bennett said. “The Lakers carry a tradition that speaks for itself, so to be connected to it and assist Rob and the Lakers in any way I can is exciting.”
At Virginia, Bennett was known for developing several notable NBA talents through the years, like Malcolm Brogdon, Joe Harris, De'Andre Hunter, Trey Murphy III, Ryan Dunn, Jay Huff, and Ty Jerome.
Tony Bennett joins new-look Lakers' operations department
The addition of Bennett to their basketball operation staff comes roughly one week after the Lakers hired Lon Rosen, who has served as a key executive for the Los Angeles Dodgers through the years, as the organization's new president of business operations. Rosen was handpicked by new Lakers owner Mark Walter, who also owns the Dodgers.
Walter finalized his $10 billion purchase of the Lakers from Jeanie Buss and her family in October.
With the Lakers clearly entering a new era headlined by superstar Luka Doncic, Rosen made it clear recently that Pelinka will remain in his role as the head of the franchise's front office, according to ESPN.
“I just run the business side, Rob's empowered to do what he does,” Rosen said. “Look, I have a really good relationship with Rob. I've known Rob Pelinka from when he was representing Kobe [Bryant]. I met him many, many years ago.”
Walter's vision of turning the Lakers into the powerhouse of the NBA, much like he has done with the Dodgers in the MLB, seems to be taking shape after the latest additions of Rosen and now Bennett.
