The days of Kobe Bryant leading the Los Angeles Lakers to glory are long gone. Now the hype in LA is all about the future, and the current rebuild of the Lakers.
Lakers big man Tarik Black finds himself in position to be excited about the upcoming season. Black and the Lakers reached an agreement on a two-year, $12.85 million contract after going back and forth between the Lakers and their D-League affiliate team, the Los Angeles D-Fenders.
While speaking with Lake Show Life at the ESPNLA 710 All-Star Celebrity Game, where Black was the coach of the Hollywood All-Stars, Black had this to say about the expectations of the Lakers from himself and the world:
“Everyone thinking that we aren’t going to be that good or thinking we are going to be last in the West — it’s preseason. I love the fact they are against us. I don’t care what anybody’s speculation is. I know how great I can be, I define it for myself, I don’t think anybody sets the bar as high as myself.”
That type of mentality is exactly what Los Angeles needs going forward. With new head coach Luke Walton combined with back-to-back second overall draft picks in D'Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram, the future is starting to look bright in Los Angeles and Tarik Black can definitely be a part of it.
Black's best game with the Lakers last season came in a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves where he recorded season-highs of 18 points and 10 rebounds. If he can keep up that kind of production, he can be a huge factor for Lakers, who can only go up from here.