The Los Angeles Lakers worked out another six draft prospects on Memorial Day in preparation for the 2017 NBA Draft: Bryce Alford, Dwayne Bacon, Amida Brimah, Derrick Walton Jr., Jordan Bell and Kennedy Meeks. Former Laker Lamar Odom was a special guest at the workouts, watching alongside the Lakers coaching staff.
Bell (forward, 6’9, 225 lbs, Oregon) is projected highest among this particular group of workouts, at the top of most second rounds in current NBA mock drafts. The 2016-17 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, Bell was also Oregon’s career blocked shots leader (235) and career field goal percentage leader (61.0%). In his interview below, Bell talks about growing up a Lakers fan, and specifically of Lamar Odom, who happened to be in attendance.
Alford (guard, 6’3, 180 lbs, UCLA) fielded plenty of questions about his former teammate Lonzo Ball, who many believe the Lakers will draft with their No. 2 pick. Alford knows his shooting is going to be his ticket to the NBA, as he leaves the Bruins as the fifth-leading scorer in school history and became the first player at UCLA to reach career totals of both 1,700 points and 500 assists.
Bacon (guard, 6’7, 221 lbs, Florida State) is on the cusp of some draft boards and towards the end of the second-round in others. Starting all 35 games as a sophomore with the Seminoles, Bacon averages 17.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 steals per game.
Brimah (center, 7’0, 230 lbs, Connecticut), Meeks (forward, 6’10, 260 lbs, North Carolina) and Walton Jr. (guard, 6’1, 190 lbs, Michigan) are all fighting for spots to get drafted in June. Check out our video above for a peak intro the draft workouts, and find our interviews with the prospects below.
Bryce Alford
Jordan Bell
Dwayne Bacon