The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly agreed to terms with two former first-round picks, Troy Brown Jr. and Lonnie Walker IV.
Brown and Walker represent a change of pace in how the Lakers approach the offseason. For the past few seasons, we have seen the organization target aging veterans including the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Trevor Ariza, Dwight Howard, and Rajon Rondo.
On the other hand, Brown is only 22 years old while Walker is only 23. It’s a wise investment in two former first-round picks who are still young. But it’s also an investment in two best friends, according to Basketball News content chief Alex Kennedy.
Lonnie Walker and Troy Brown Jr. are best friends, and now they’re teaming up on the Los Angeles Lakers. Love these signings.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 30, 2022
Brown was selected at No. 15 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft, and then Walker heard his name shortly after at No. 18 overall. The two were both summer league standouts when they faced each other as rookies.
But they had extensive experience together long before that.
Back in 2016, when they were still playing at the AAU level, the two prospects actually traveled to the Bahamas (alongside other future NBA players like Wendell Carter Jr., Jarred Vanderbilt, and PJ Washington).
Both players were later named McDonald’s All-Americans and played together on that roster in 2017. You can watch one of their highlights from the game below:
Troy Brown Jr. finds Lonnie Walker with this DIME 👌🏿 @Troy_Brown33 @lonniewalker_4 pic.twitter.com/lIo6ha8mVM
— Overtime (@overtime) April 18, 2017
If you are interested, you can watch a recent video of the two players working out together in Los Angeles. Around the 5:30-mark, they start playing HORSE.
You will not be surprised to learn that both players are represented by Klutch Sports.
According to Kennedy, the two players recently considered hosting a podcast together. Hopefully, they get a chance to do that as teammates on the Lakers.
