The final drill the Lakers instructed their six NBA draft prospects to do on Saturday was the most challenging, a drill Trey Murphy III called a “mentality drill.”
Murphy, a 6-foot-9 forward from Virginia whom most draft experts believe will be selected in the lower third the first round, described that last drill as “a really tough one.”
“Basically, you’re just by yourself going full court, end line to end line, just trying to get buckets and score threes,” Murphy, who averaged 11.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and shot 50.3% from the field last season, said on Zoom. “It was one point for a layup, two points for mid-range and three points for a three-pointer and just try to get as high as you can in 90 seconds. I wasn’t too proud of my score. Definitely can do better on that one. But still was a good learning lesson.”
Nah’Shon Hyland, a 6-3 guard from VCU who also is expected to be selected somewhere in the latter part of the first round, said all the drills pushed the players.
“I didn’t do the mentality drill due to a minor injury, but the whole workout was great, honestly,” Hyland said on videoconference. “Guys got after it. I felt I showed a whole lot, my offensive skills at a high level, shooting the ball, just everything. I feel like I showed a lot. But the workout was great for sure.”
The Lakers have the 22nd pick in the July 29 draft, meaning that Murphy and Hyland might be in their range.
Hyland is considered a combo-guard who averaged 19.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists and shot 44.7% from the field, 37.1% from three last season.
“It shows, you know, my versatility,” Hyland said about being about to play point and shooting guard. “It just … honestly, I’m just a hooper, but people list me as a one, people list me as a two. I can play either position. I can play off the ball. I can shoot the lights out off the ball, shoot the lights out on the ball. I’m a very underrated passer, underrated playmaker. It just shows you my versatility. I can do both at a high level for sure.”
Oklahoma’s Austin Reaves, Stanford’s Oscar Da Silva, Michigan’s Chaundee Brown Jr. and North Carolina State’s DJ Funderburk also worked out for the Lakers.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.