Jordan Clarkson impressed Lakers fans in the home opener against the Houston Rockets coming off the bench. But it wasn’t magic, it was the result of hard work.
The Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson put in some serious work over the summer. Not only did he play in The Drew League along with Nick Young, Metta World Peace, and Julius Randle, he worked hard on his basketball skills with his summer Coach Drew Hanlen of Pure Sweat.
Lakers Head Coach Luke Walton had somehow talked Jordan Clarkson into coming off of the bench in the opening game of the season against Houston. Sound familiar? Remember, Luke’s old boss, and fellow Arizona Wildcat Steve Kerr asked Andre Iguodala to come off the bench two seasons ago, and it turned into an NBA Finals MVP award.
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Not seeing Clarkson’s name on the floor to start the game was possibly unsettling for Lakers fans, but it seems we must put our trust in Walton and what he wants to carry out. So far, the coach and his team are 1-0 on the season. At least for a couple of days, Lakers fans can revel in having a winning record.
In the opener, Clarkson only played seven minutes in the first half. But in the second half, he came alive scoring 25 points in 25 minutes, making 7-of-7 of his free throws. He made two out of three 3-pointers, and 8-of- 2 shots from the field. Stunning.
It’s clear Jordan has gotten better from last season, and he is motivated. The source of the motivation could be his new 2019-20 $13,437,500 contract, or it could be his new coaching staff, changes in strategy, or all the above.
The Lake Show Life was fortunate to get an exclusive first look at Jordan’s intense summer workouts. Whistle Sports (@WhistleSports), the Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson, and his summer conditioning coach Drew Hanlen of Pure Sweat, came together to produce an episode in a series called Unseen Hours.
https://twitter.com/WhistleSports/status/792044529268338688
The Founder and CEO of Whistle Sports explained why this new Unseen Hours series is not to be missed:
“Unseen Hours brings viewers behind-the-scenes of the hard work that goes into being an up-and-coming professional basketball player. The dedication, the long hours of practice, the sweat and so much more are apparent through the work that these players are doing with Drew Hanlen of Pure Sweat.”
You cannot miss this video interview. Clarkson offers insight into what is motivating him and how the Lakers are underrated.
Other Episodes of Unseen Hours include the workouts of other NBA up-and-coming players such as Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid, and Zach LaVIne. The series including 3-4 minute episodes started airing on the Whistle Sports YouTube channel on October 18th.
Must Read: Lakers: What LA’s Opening Night Win Means Going Forward
We thank Whistle Sports for allowing us to bring this behind-the-scenes peek into the hard work Jordan Clarkson put in over the summer. The hard work paid off!