Los Angeles Lakers: Justise Winslow On The Draft Board?
By Chris Walton
All eyes are on two of America’s most decorated sports teams. One of those teams is the Los Angeles Lakers, while other is the Duke Blue Devils. The former is experiencing far less success than the latter. The Lakers are in the midst of a 5-14 season, while Duke is undefeated and ranked as the No. 4 team in the NCAA.
Duke’s head coach, Mike Krzyzewski, has recruited one of his most herald classes ever, led by freshmen Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow. Ironically, one of these players could become an essential piece to the Lakers future, and it should be Winslow.
The Los Angeles Lakers have holes all over their roster, with the gaping presence sitting at small forward. What better way to kick the future into gear than getting a serviceable player on the perimeter? The Lakers are surely headed for the 2015 NBA Draft lottery, and Justise Winslow is oozing with the skills that the team needs. Winslow is a unique athlete that not only uses all-around skills on the offense (12 points, 4.6 rebounds per game), but he brings it on defense as well. Winslow recently drew high praises from Coach K:
Coach K told me that last wing player he had who could guard as well as Justise Winslow out of the gate was Grant Hill.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) December 4, 2014
His game is eerily similar to that of Chicago Bulls guard/forward, Jimmy Butler. Even their builds are comparable, as both players stand at roughly 6’7, weighing over 220 pounds. Being a college freshman makes Winslow’s size that much more impressive as he shows great strength and physical maturity. In early action against Presbyterian, Winslow displayed the complete package:
It’s clear that the Lakers head coach Byron Scott wants the team to focus on defense, but they lack the necessary personnel to do so. Much success on the defensive end starts on the wing, and when you look at teams such as the San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls, the common denominators shared by both squads are a two-way player acquired through the draft. Granted, both squads are anchored by overall team talent, but they are spearheaded by Kawhi Leonard and the aforementioned Jimmy Butler.
Coming from a structured and disciplined environment like Duke also bodes well for Winslow. Coach K has done a tremendous job at the university, coupled with successful years with Team USA. Budding talents such as Demar Derozan and Klay Thompson are all benefiting from Coach K’s philosophy, along with their respective teams. The Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors are two of the NBA’s best franchises at the moment. Could Winslow exude his talent and elevate the Lakers to success in later years? There’s a definite possibility.
The dream scenario of Kobe Bryant taking a young predecessor under his wing could come true as Mitch Kupchak and Co. envisions. Winslow may not offer immediate star power, but if he continues to play on Duke’s big stage, his popularity will grow. Maybe he will never provide the flash and mythical performances of Kobe, but his hard-nosed style of play is just what the Lakers need. At only 18 years of age, it’s hard to get players to commit to his kind of game, but Winslow finds the desire on a nightly basis. Any fan of basketball can respect and welcome his mentality, and the Lakers should be at the front of that line.