Apr 28, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers small forward Earl Clark (6) handles the ball against San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) in game four of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

“I want to be a Laker,” Earl Clark said Monday. “I had a lot of fun this season. It’s the first season I got an opportunity to play and just show people, the world, what I can do. I hope everything works out and I come back. I definitely don’t want to leave here being on one of the worst Laker teams in history. I don’t want to be a part of that.”

The 25-year-old enters the offseason as an unrestricted free agent and even stated he would go as far as taking less money, fewer years to remain in LA.

Clark averaged 9 points and 6.8 rebounds as a starter for the injury-riddled Lakers early in the season, and maintained solid production in limited minutes off the bench.

He has all the tools to eventually replace Metta World Peace as a starter on the wing and boasts a higher ceiling than we initially thought, evident from his 10.3 PPG and 8.4 REB averages in January.

His youth and attitude will certainly be welcome in LA.

And there was no other play that best symbolized the Lakers’ spirited effort than Earl Clark’s rejection of Memphis swingman Quincy Pondexter.

It’s such a great highlight that only Spanish can properly capture the moment.

To say this was embarrassing for Pondexter is like saying the Rutgers athletic department wished it had a mulligan. Getting blocked is one thing. Getting pwned at the rim is the hoops equivalent of getting stood up at the altar. Quincy, your bride was the hoop and Clark came in like Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate to steal your pride.