In search of their 18th NBA title, the Lakers loaded up their roster with as much talent as they possibly could. Guys like LeBron James and Anthony Davis appear in the limelight every game while others such as Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, or Marc Gasol round out the supporting cast. With all of the depth that Los Angeles has, you would think it would be hard for an up and coming player like THT to shine.
Instead, he’s proved that thought wrong as he’s become a vital asset to this Lakers team. At first glance, his 8.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game don’t come off as someone to be excited about. However, Horten-Tucker has better with the more opportunities he’s presented with. He showcased that during the Lakers’ Sunday night win over the Chicago Bulls. The 20-year old shooting guard collected 19 points on a ridiculous 87.5% shooting percentage with 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals.
🧨& 🧼 at it again.
(📺: @SpectrumSN) pic.twitter.com/dUQKFjAtjx
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 11, 2021
Related: Talen Horten-Tucker is Making a Case for Consistent Playing Time
Now that’s the type of production that warrants attention for a young player in his first full season. During a post-game press conference, LeBron James didn’t shy away from offering praise to his teammate.
“He does it on both sides of the floor, and then he just listens. He’s a sponge. And he can apply it right away… big-time game for a kid that’s still growing into his own, but he’s beyond his years.”
Horten-Tucker’s ability to produce shouldn’t come as much of a surprise as the bright lights of last year’s playoffs did little to slow him down. Flip the script to this season’s shortened preseason and you’ll see even more instances of his growing abilities. With some scouts believing that THT can become a player who averages 20+ points a game, he’s just scratching the surface of a long NBA career.
