Youngsters get chance with Lakers
Just about 12 months ago, Javaris Crittenton was preparing for a relatively smooth transition from high school to college basketball.
The next step figures to be a bit steeper.
"My year in college I didn't really feel like a freshman," the Los Angeles Lakers rookie said of his lone season at Georgia Tech. "Now this is a whole new adjustment. These are grown men, this is the NBA. I feel like the rookie that I am. I am here to work hard and earn the trust of my teammates and the coaching staff."
Jordan Farmar knows all about making that climb.
At about the same time Javaris Crittenton was entering his freshman year with the Yellow Jackets, it was Jordan Farmar in the role of the teenage rookie soaking in the guidance of the Los Angeles Lakers veterans in his first training camp. Now he's the one dishing out advice to the newcomer.
"I told him coming in it's not going to be the way you're used to," Jordan Farmar said. "The best way to get through it is just to accept it and continue to learn. If you try to fight it you're just going to frustrate yourself."
The Los Angeles Lakers invested first-round draft picks in Jordan Farmar and Javaris Crittenton the last two years, and the duo represents the future of the point guard spot for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The young guards figure to see ample playing time this week when the Los Angeles Lakers open their preseason schedule with exhibition games tonight and Thursday against the Golden State Warriors at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Jordan Farmar made his jump to the NBA following his sophomore season at UCLA and ended his rookie year as the starter at the point as the Los Angeles Lakers made a quick exit from the playoffs. Since then, the Los Angeles Lakers signed veteran Derek Fisher to provide leadership and stability alongside Kobe Bryant in the backcourt and drafted Javaris Crittenton after his freshman year at Georgia Tech.
"This year (Coach Phil Jackson's) going to put me back to having to earn it and work hard and continue to get better and I respect that," Jordan Farmar said. "I'm trying to push Derek, help Javaris, and I think we all push each other."
Though he doesn't turn 21 until next month, Jordan Farmar already feels the value of a year of experience.
"I'm not so much worried about what the coaches think, not trying to impress anybody, I'm just trying to play," Jordan Farmar said.
"Last year it was, 'I gotta make this shot, I gotta show them I can play.' Now I'm just playing basketball. You're going to miss, you're going to make mistakes, as long as you play hard and try to make the right decisions good things will happen. I'm a lot more mature in terms of my approach to the game and comfortable with myself as a player."
Javaris Crittenton began that process with the start of training camp last week, though he didn't expect his introduction to happen in Hawaii.
The advent of a rule keeping high school players out of the NBA Draft led Javaris Crittenton to enroll at Georgia Tech, where he averaged 14.4 points and 5.8 assists as a freshman. He left after a season and was looking ahead to starting his career relatively close to his Atlanta home, until draft day took an unexpected twist with the Los Angeles Lakers selecting him with the 19th pick.
"I'd just gotten a call from Miami saying they were going to take me at 20," he said. "I hadn't heard anything from the Los Angeles Lakers. I wasn't even expecting it, I was just waiting for Miami to roll around. I was shocked, but I was happy."
The pick meant making a second trip to Hawaii in less than a year. He played in the EA Sports Maui Invitational last year, leading the Yellow Jackets to the title game, where they lost to UCLA.
Now it's back to being the new guy on the roster, trying to pick up pointers from the Los Angeles Lakers' seasoned stars.
"I learn a lot from them. Kobe's very helpful on defense and little things that he sees," Javaris Crittenton said. "I appreciate a player like him coming to help me and pointing out small things to help me with the offense or anything, really."
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