Gabe Vincent making his presence felt with Lakers both on and off the court

Gabe Vincent was supposed to elevate the Los Angeles Lakers to championship status. It's an admittedly ambitious statement, but Los Angeles signed Vincent, one of the breakout stars of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, mere months after it reached the Western Conference Finals.

After an injury-plagued debut season with the Lakers, Vincent is finally making his presence felt on the court—but his work behind the scenes has been longstanding.

Vincent, 28, appeared in just 11 games during his first season in Los Angeles. It was a disappointing turn of events on every front, as the veteran guard was coming off of a 2022-23 campaign during which he helped the Miami Heat reach the NBA Finals and appeared poised to elevate his place in the NBA's hierarchy.

Per Ron Gutterman of Lakers Nation, Jalen Hood-Schifino revealed that Vincent refused to allow his own injury woes to prevent him from helping the next generation of players transition to the NBA.

“We pretty much have the same team so I feel like for me, I have asked multiple different guys for advice and they’ve been there. But I think for me, even last year, I think Gabe Vincent was someone that I connected with dating back to last summer during the offseason, we worked out a lot together and obviously being a point guard now in year six, he has a lot of games under him. So I would say probably Gabe Vincent.”

Vincent brings intriguing value to the Lakers on the court, but his leadership in the locker room could prove as vital as any of his skills in 2024-25.

Gabe Vincent has been mentoring Lakers guard Jalen Hood-Schifino

Hood-Schifino navigated rocky terrain in his own right in 2023-24, battling back problems and scarce playing time. He thrived when given the opportunity to play in the G League, however, showcasing a well-rounded skill set and a lights-out three-point shot.

Having a veteran going through something similar with injuries likely helped, and Vincent deserves praise for taking a player under his wing during a time of personal adversity.

It's one of the qualities that could help the Lakers exceed the expectations set by skeptics who expect them to miss the playoffs. The second unit was a glaring weakness in 2023-24, but with Vincent healthy and available, his talent and leadership could transform the bench's quality of play.

With Max Christie, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Vincent penciled in as key reserves, and several players competing to play alongside them, the Lakers should realistically improve.

In terms of what he offers on the court, Vincent is a three-level scoring threat who excels within the three-point line. He's more than capable in catch-and-shoot situations, and can pull up with reasonable success, but it's his midrange and finishing abilities that drive his success.

When Vincent is healthy and on his game, he can attack a set defense and either pull up short of a rim protector to bury a floater or a jump shot, or get into the paint to score in traffic.

Defensively, Vincent comes from the Erik Spoelstra school of competitive guards who defend bigger than they stand. It's a definitive trait in terms of why the Lakers signed him to a three-year, $33 million deal in 2023.

Compounded by his impressive postseason experience, Vincent has the on-court value and off-court leadership skills to remind skeptics of exactly who he is.