A staple at Los Angeles Lakers practices and shootarounds this season has been rookies Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma being among those to remain the gym for extra work. At times, it’s involved a shooting competition with assistant coaches Brian Shaw and Miles Simon.
With Simon tending to other duties following a practice earlier this month, Lakers head coach Luke Walton was pressed into action as his replacement. Ball and Kuzma took a 2-0 series lead in the ‘around the world competition,’ but ultimately lost to their coaches.
Kuzma attributed the loss to Shaw, dubbed the ‘king trash-talker,’ getting into his head. On Thursday, the rookies were again pitted against Shaw and Simon after shootaround at Quicken Loans Arena.
They came away victorious, and Ball capped it off with a celebratory dance, via our own Serena Winters:
Lonzo & Kuz took this one over the coaches. (See if you can spot Zo's victory dance at the end) pic.twitter.com/KzwHDZfnd0
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) December 14, 2017
In addition to the entertainment that comes from Ball and Kuzma competing against their coaches, something as routine as free throw shooting has also resulted in quite the exchange.
Specifically, when Ball questioned Shaw about the music playing on the speakers of a gym, which was the Star Wars theme song. The rookie asked what type of music it was and if it had words.
The Lakers faced the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night with an opportunity to finish 3-1 on their road trip. They began it with back-to-back wins on the road for the first time this season, before losing to the New York Knicks in an entertaining contest at Madison Square Garden.
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