Lakers’ training camp is set to begin in the next three weeks, and even though he’s only in his first season as head coach for the Lakers, Byron Scott is already establishing a championship mindset with his team. Championships and the Lakers go hand-in-hand, but the recent struggles have placed the Lakers in an unfamiliar spot to playing second best in their own arena and being considered nothing more than the 12th best team in the Western Conference. Fortunately, Scott is determined to purge the Lakers’ recent ailments and get them back on the right track.
Recently, Scott made a visit to San Diego to promote the upcoming preseason game against the Denver Nuggets. While in town, Scott decided to make a visit to the San Diego Chargers’ practice facility. After spending the day with the team, Scott takes the time to discuss his expectations for the upcoming season:
“Well, the first thing we want to do is start thinking back like we’re champions again. That’s the first thing I want our guys to do. I don’t have expectations this season as far as wins or losses and things like that. I want to make sure each week we get better as a basketball team and we’re headed in the right direction. That’s my expectation of our team.”
Scott is not letting the dismal events of the past year become an excuse for himself or any of his players. Though championship aspirations sounds ludicrous for a team coming off their worst season in franchise history, it sounds as if Scott has a long-term plan for his team but also wants to instill them with confidence.
Furthermore, Scott discusses some of the parallels of coaching between football and basketball, while also expressing his excitement for the first preseason game of the 2014-2015 basketball season.
You can check out the video here.