Lakers Coach Luke Walton talks about two different style coaches in his career.

Luke on his college coach:

Coach [Lute] Olson always used to ask: 'What were you thinking?!' Walton says, recalling his playing days at the University of Arizona. And if you tried to answer it, he'd say: 'You always have an excuse for everything.' So I learned. He's asking me, but he doesn't really care what I say; he's just letting me know he knows I messed up.

Luke on Coach Phil Jackson:

When I first got to the Lakers, I messed up something in one of the first practices, and Phil was like, 'Luke! What were you thinking on that?' I forget what the play was. Something in the triangle. But I didn't say a word; I'm not falling for this.

It was like an awkward silence for 10 seconds. And he was like, 'No, seriously. Until you tell me what you were thinking, we're not moving on.' I still thought he was messing with me. Eventually, I answered him.

There are different styles of coaching. For me, I like the back and forth. Especially at this level. These are some of the best players in the world. They didn't just get here by accident. They're really good at what they do. And sometimes they have ideas that might be different from what we do but might work better with the personnel we have.

Bosses demand a "get it done" attitude where they define a "team player" as someone who will never question authority, shut up, and do what they say.

Leaders seek understanding. Leaders teach you to think for yourself. Leaders define goals but give you room to test your own strategies and maximize your strengths.

Ever since the Lakers won the #2 draft pick, I've been researching non-stop and debating back-and-forth between Jahlil Okafor and D'Angelo Russell.

Both are going to be brilliant on offense, and both will equally have to improve their defense. But after watching a few interviews, I realized Russell has something that Okafor and Towns don't really have — that cockiness and competitive fire that says, "I am the best damn player in this room and I will fucking prove it to you all."

That's the stuff that separates the really good players from the great players.

MJ has it. Kobe has it. LeBron has it. I think D'Angelo has it too.

So this morning, I called it on Twitter. Low and behold, I was right.

Welcome to Los Angeles, D'Angelo!!

Mike Trudell:

There was only an 11.9 percent chance that the Lakers would get the second pick, but team representative, coach and former Laker himself Byron Scott was more than happy to see his team grab the pick that will be L.A.'s highest since James Worthy went No. 1 in 1982.

There was a better chance that L.A. would lose its selection to Philadelphia (via Phoenix in the Steve Nash trade) by having two teams jump into the top three ahead of them, but it wasn't that kind of night for the Lakers.

There was only one team to jump up in draft position -- the Lakers.

The Basketball Gods smile upon the city of Los Angeles!

Kobe:

When you watch me shoot my fadeaway jumper, you’ll notice my leg is always extended. I had problems making that shot in the past. It’s tough. So one day I’m watching the Discovery Channel and see a cheetah hunting. When the cheetah runs, its tail always gives it balance, even if it’s cutting a sharp angle. And that’s when I was like: My leg could be the tail, right?

The greatest minds find inspiration from anything and everything.

June 17, 2008: Lakers lose Game 6 to the Boston Celtics.

June 17, 2009: Laker Victory Parade.