New Los Angeles Lakers coach Luke Walton says, ‘We’re going to compete’ in the NBA
The former Golden State Warriors assistant coach tales over a team that finished with a 21-61 record during the 2014-15 season
The daunting task of trying to turn around the once proud Los Angeles Lakers franchise is not something that frightens Luke Walton.
Instead, Walton said he has embraced the immense challenge that lies ahead for him as the new coach of the Lakers.
This is the franchise that drafted Walton in 2003 and with which he won two NBA championships as a player.
So nothing would make Walton feel better than to make the Lakers into title contenders again, something he kept repeating at his introductory news conference at the team’s practise facility in El Segundo.
“There is work to be done. But that’s, to me, exciting,” Walton said. “That’s why you do this. The timetable? Who knows?
“It’s us coming to work every day. It’s us working hard. It’s watching improvement in the young guys that’s exciting. It’s watching us get better as a team. That’s what I’m looking forward to doing.”