Talen Horton-Tucker Continues to Turn Heads as Several Superstars Gush About the Lakers Rookie

The Los Angeles Lakers are packed with talent this season. LeBron James and Anthony Davis lead the team to another championship win. Staying healthy is a priority now. AD has sustained several injuries and needed extra time to recover. This doesn’t change the fact that LA looks great at the moment. A Lakers rookie is making headlines with his stats.

LeBron and AD are dominant players on the floor, but Talen Horton-Tucker has a different story to tell. He started from the G League and ended up being one of the best bench players on the Lakers bench. Horton-Tucker is a valuable player for the Lakers.

“It’s just been a big progression,” Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said. “I know he had some strong G League performances last year, but he didn’t really register on my radar until I started watching him in the practices in the bubble and in some of those bubble games. Just on a regular basis showing me excellent play and a very versatile offensive game with some real defensive talent.

“For me to put him in a real playoff game against the Houston Rockets and James Harden, that shows the level of trust that I have with him. 

“Back then I remember thinking, I don’t want to look back and say, ‘We tried to beat this team and I had this guy on the bench and I didn’t even use him.’ So I at least wanted to throw him out there.

“Every test, so to speak, that we’ve given him, he’s passed. He’s played really well and has continued to earn a bigger role. 

“Thing is we have a lot of guys playing well on this team. So there’s some stretches where he’s not going to play as much as others, but it doesn’t mean we have any kind of lack of confidence in him.” 

AD respects the Lakers rookie

Horton-Tucker saw action in 19 games this season. He is dominant on both ends of the floor. Davis has nothing but words of praise for his younger player.

Davis likes the way Horton-Tucker takes part in clutch moments. He wants to learn and get better. He will get better with practice.

According to Davis, Horton-Tucker has a heart of a lion. Vogel expects great things from his young star. We have every right to believe that Horton-Tucker will become a leader one day.