January 4, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) attempts a shot against the defense of Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert (55)stad during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
As D’Angelo Russell casually mentioned late last month, the Los Angeles Lakers fan base is pretty spoiled and for good reason. The front office has a well documented history of pulling off blockbuster trades and impressive free agent acquisitions to greatly reduce downtime.
The Lakers have prided themselves as a win-now organization, and that hasn’t changed even with the team’s recent struggles. Expectations from fans has yet to minimize, and they often fail to remember their brightest star was a late bloomer.
The organization acquired a talented but raw high school kid via trade, and the organization developed Kobe Bryant into one of the greatest players ever to play the game from the ground up.
Bryant entered the league at 17 and didn’t show consistent signs of becoming the player fans know him to be today until a few years into his NBA journey.
While none of the young players currently on the team have earned a comparison to Bryant, each one shares similarities with other late blooming stars and should give fans hope for a brighter future.
Furthermore, the Lakers roster possesses enough young talent to provide the team with an inside track to develop another late blooming star or two.
Next: Julius Randle