The Los Angeles Lakers took a chance on Kevon Looney avoiding the injury bug when they signed him to be their backup center. Looney appeared in just 21 games in 2025-26 and the Lakers are reportedly "hunting for reinforcement at the center position" in case his injury issues return.
Though there are thus risks involved in backing Looney, he's justifying the gamble by reminding skeptics that his greatest impact on the Lakers will be his ability to set the tone for the locker room.
Looney is an 11-year veteran who played 10 seasons with the Golden State Warriors and one with the New Orleans Pelicans. During that time, he's carved out a role as an elite rebounder and committed defender. More than what he offers on the court, however, is the intangible skill of a winning mentality.
Looney showed that very quality during a recent interview with Mason & Ireland of ESPN LA by praising Luka Doncic as a player and leader, and saying the words every superstar wants to hear: "We're going to follow him, run through a wall for him."
“He’s a great player and a great leader. He likes to show what he can do on the court, and we got to see his personality off the court. So, it was great. We’re going to follow him, run through a wall for him.”
The fact that Looney used the word, "We," instead of, "I," is exactly why signing him was such a smart decision: The Lakers needed a champion like him to set the tone for what it means to sacrifice and win.
Kevon Looney says Lakers will "run through a wall" for Luka Doncic
It may be a hard sell to a team that's trying to win a championship, but Looney's play during games isn't actually what will decide his value. It's the manner in which he can set the tone for the team in the locker room and on the practice court.
Looney isn't a former lottery pick hoping to right the ship or a veteran starter coming out of a challenging situation. He's a career role player who has bought in from day one—and won in the process.
Doncic took the lead by organizing a team-building exercise in Slovenia that seems to be bringing the team closer together. The key to remaining close during the season, however, often comes down to managing egos and defining roles.
Few players have epitomized the value of sacrificing one's ego for the betterment of the team more than Looney over the past decade-plus.
Looney isn't just a productive rebounder and a committed defender, but a three-time NBA champion. He played a significant role on two of those teams, playing 18.4 minutes per game during the playoffs in 2018 and 20.4 in 2021-22.
Looney selflessly committed to setting hard screens, protecting the paint, battling for rebounds, and defending physical scorers inside. That's exactly what the Lakers need to commit to in 2026-27: A willingness to do the things that won't show up in the box score.
With Looney making it clear that he's ready to run through a wall for Doncic and ensuring that, "We," is how he expressed it, the Lakers' gamble on his health has already paid off in the form of adding a locker room leader.
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