The Lakers addressed a key need off the court Wednesday, hiring former University of Virginia coach Tony Bennett as an NBA Draft Advisor.
Lakers Add Ex-UVA Legend Tony Bennett in Key Advisory Role
Bennett to Assist Pelinka in Draft Decisions
Bennett will help guide the Lakers’ pre-draft decisions leading up to and during the now two-night event. He brings immense success from UVA as the 2019 national champion and the program’s all-time leader in wins. Reflecting on this new chapter, Bennett said:
“When Rob and I began talking, what stood out to me was the chance to help out such a storied organization. The Lakers carry a tradition that speaks for itself, so to be connected to it and assist Rob and the Lakers in any way I can is exciting.”
Meanwhile, Pelinka said the Lakers were “thrilled and honored” to bring Bennett on:
“As we refine and build out our NBA draft and scouting processes, we could think of no better basketball mind than Tony Bennett to have as a resource. Tony’s track record of forming culture, with high-character, high-skill and high-IQ players is revered and respected across all basketball circles. Tony will be an incredible asset to our basketball leadership, to our scouts and to our draft department as a whole. We are truly excited.”
Bennett’s new role gives him a homecoming to the league. He played for the Charlotte Hornets from 1992-95 as a former second-round pick.
If Lakers fans need any information on who Tony Bennett is, he was the mastermind behind Virginia’s success for over a decade and was responsible for the development of the following NBA talents:
Malcolm Brogdon, Joe Harris, De’Andre Hunter, Trey Murphy III, and Ty Jerome. https://t.co/dtjSgYgEsD
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) February 25, 2026
Lakers’ Projected Draft Position and Needs
The Lakers have a late first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Similar to the trade deadline, wings and bigs are likely top priorities. Currently, numerous mock drafts connect them to Duke center Patrick Ngongba II (CBS Sports), Baylor guard/forward Tounde Yessoufou (ESPN) and Arizona wing Koa Peat (NBA Draft Room), among others. The latest iteration of our Benjamin Yu’s mock draft has LA selecting Alabama guard/forward Amari Allen.
© Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images