Larry Nance Jr. had a mixed bag of a start to his NBA career after the Los Angeles Lakers drafted him with the 27th overall pick in 2015.
While playing for one of the league’s marquee franchises is often a thrill, he suited up for some Lakers squads that couldn’t deliver many wins.
He recently shared his thoughts about his stint with the Lakers, admitting that while they were “bad,” they provided fans with an entertaining brand of basketball.
Sure, we were bad, but we were fun and that’s what really matters right? 😂😂 https://t.co/J27dLfzDgM
— Larry Nance (@Larrydn22) June 16, 2024
Even though he experienced more losses than victories in his roughy three seasons repping the Purple and Gold, Nance appears to relish how fun being on the court with his former Lakers teammates was.
One of those players was the late Kobe Bryant, whose swan song coincided with the University of Wyoming product’s rookie campaign. Then, in his final season in Los Angeles, Nance played alongside the likes of Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Julius Randle, Josh Hart and others.
Still, Nance would probably like to forget that the Lakers were historically awful in his first season there. The worst campaign ever in the history of the franchise came in the 2015-16 season, with the team finishing 17-65.
The Ohio native was able to leave the languishing Lakers when the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for him in the middle of the 2017-18 campaign. He even reportedly thanked the Cavs front office for rescuing him from his former squad.
Nance thrived while playing for his hometown team and briefly got a chance to be a teammate of LeBron James. He got to taste the playoffs after the trade and played a key role in Cleveland’s 2018 NBA Finals run. Unfortunately, the team got swept by the Golden State Warriors.
Interestingly, Nance went back to playing for a non-contender after that season because James spurned the Cavs in the 2018 offseason to sign with the Lakers. But it wasn’t all bad for Nance because he inked a lucrative extension with Cleveland around the same time.
The former Slam Dunk Contest runner-up currently suits up for the New Orleans Pelicans, although he still seems concerned about his former employer. He recently aired his two cents on the Lakers’ quest to find Darvin Ham’s successor, advising the organization to seek an experienced head coach.
