Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart and Thomas Bryant already have their sights set as they prepare for their first season in the NBA.
The Lakers rookies highlighted their main goals for the year at the team’s annual Media Day on Monday.
Ball’s should come as no surprise given that he led Chino Hills High to an undefeated state championship in 2016 before guiding UCLA to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen last year.
The second-overall pick’s goal is to return the Lakers to the playoffs for the first time since 2013.
Meanwhile, Kuzma looks to prove that he should have been picked much higher than the 27th selection where he landed.
The phrase “steal of the draft” has been attached to Kuzma since his stellar Summer League, which means his goal of making the All-Rookie Team is well within reach.
After earning Big East Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors, Hart’s goal also isn’t much of a surprise.
The small forward listed his goal as making the All-Defensive Team.
Finally, Bryant approached the task through a long lens, which makes sense given the presence of fellow centers Brook Lopez, Andrew Bogut and Ivica Zubac on the roster.
The former Indiana Hoosier wrote that he wants to leave a “long lasting impact” on the team.
