Some have Noah Vonleh falling to the Lake Show, as DraftExpress.com does. Others, like Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, have Julius Randle being taken off the board at No. 7 and throwing on a purple and gold uniform. NBADraft.net has Marcus Smart joining the backcourt in Hollywood.
Aaron Gordon, the standout freshman forward from Arizona, isn't the most popular pick in these mocks, but don't tell him that. During his weekly diary for SlamOnline.com, the 18-year-old wrote the following about playing for the Lakers:
L.A. is the next stop. That should be fun. The Lakers are a great program. It’s a traditional program, so I think the level of intensity will be way up.
If I ended up playing with Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash, that would be absolutely insane. I would want to know everything that they know. I’d be attached to Kobe at the hip. I’d be attached to him and Steve Nash.
There are far worse players to learn from.
Obviously.
At the moment, Gordon is set to make a mark with his insane athleticism and defensive energy. He was one of the better point-preventing players in collegiate basketball during his one and only season with the Wildcats, and his physical tools should give him an opportunity to guard both interior and perimeter scorers at the next level.
"Aerial theatrics aside, it’s the defensive end where Gordon truly shines—he can guard three or four positions, has great footwork and lateral mobility and is able to wall off opponents without picking up the foul," wrote Bleacher Report's David Murphy.
There's a reason he led the NCAA in defensive win shares during the 2013-14 season, per Sports-Reference.com. Actually...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
