Getty Image / Jevone Moore
On Thursday, the Los Angeles Lakers did something that has become a bit unusual for the organization in recent years.
They selected a player in the first round of the NBA Draft that was actually still a member of the organization at the end of the draft.
The last time that happened was in 2018 when they drafted Moritz Wagner 25th overall and even he only lasted for one season before being traded to the Washington Wizards.
This year, it was Jalen Hood-Schifino who was selected 17th overall by the Lakers and he’ll be hoping he can stick around a bit longer than Wagner as the Lakers attempt to get a bit younger.
The franchise has started a bit of a youth movement over the last year following the disappointments of the previous season with one of the league’s oldest rosters.
One remaining piece of that old roster is LeBron James and there was one stat about him that circulated after the Lakers selected Hood-Schifino that highlight just how long LeBron has been in the league.
On draft night, it was pointed out that Hood-Schifino was just 7 days old when LeBron was drafted.
He told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that his reaction was “Dang, LeBron’s old!”
Jalen Hood-Schifino on the social media post going around on draft night that detailed how he was only 7 days old when LeBron James was drafted into the NBA: “I saw that … and was like, ‘Dang, LeBron’s old!’”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 27, 2023
It’s a testament to Lebron James’ longevity that he now has teammates who were barely born when he was drafted.
There aren’t many players who stick around in the NBA for 20 years and there are even less who are still one of the stars of their team in year 20.
Now he’ll just be the star of a team that includes some teammates who might make him feel a bit old.