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The Los Angeles Lakers are making front office moves that will help improve the team's plan moving forward and build around Luka Doncic.
Doncic, 26, signed a three-year, $161.35 million contract extension with his new team over the last offseason. This shows that he will be the Lakers' main priority for seasons to come.
Los Angeles is continuing to bring in the necessary reinforcements to reach its maximum potential. On Wednesday, the Lakers hired former University of Virginia head coach Tony Bennett as an NBA Draft advisor, ESPN's Shams Charania reported.
MORE: Lakers have encountered a very specific LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves problem
Who is Tony Bennett?
Tony Bennett coached men's basketball at the University of Virginia for 15 seasons, becoming the program's winningest coach in history with a 364-136 record.
In 2019, Bennett achieved the greatest achievement in college basketball, helping lead the Cavaliers to a 35-win season and winning a national championship. He retired as a coach for Virginia in 2024 due to the constant changes of the transfer portal and NIL at the collegiate level, but he will now come back to basketball. Only at the professional level.
He has experience playing in the NBA as well, getting drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 35 pick in 1992. Bennett played three seasons in Charlotte and spent time overseas before transitioning to coaching.
Bennett will now help Lakers president Rob Pelinka and company as an NBA Draft advisor moving forward.
While a collegiate head coach, Bennett was one of the best defensive-minded leaders in the entire country. He's bringing the same energy as the Lakers have one first-round pick in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft.
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