While Mitch Kupchak and the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers were introducing their new rookies to the local media on Tuesday, head coach Luke Walton was making moves to fill out his coaching staff.
Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times reported that Walton would be adding his fellow University of Arizona alumnus Jud Buechler to his coaching staff, and he wasn't the only addition of the day. Turner followed up his earlier report with news that Walton would be bringing Golden State Warriors' assistant Theo Robertson with him to Los Angeles.
Robertson was a video coordinator and player development coach for the Warriors last season after previously serving as a video intern for the team, according to his LinkedIn page. It's unknown exactly what role the University of California at Berkeley alumni will serve with the Lakers, but based on a profile of him done by Jeff Faraudo of Bear Talk during the 2015 NBA Finals, Robertson seems like exactly the type of hard-working game tape addict every coaching staff needs:
His job with Golden State involves splicing together videotape of opposing teams so the coaching staff can prep for each game. It's long hours - spent working at the Warriors' facility and at home - but Robertson believes it's the perfect introduction to the pro game.
"It's really a job I wanted to do coming into the league," he said. "I think it's the best way to get an understanding of the NBA game and coaches' philosophies."
The addition of Robertson and Buechler gives Walton five assistants that we know of, along with Brian Shaw, Jesse Mermuys, and the returning Mark Madsen. It remains to be seen if he'll add any more before the start of the NBA season, but Walton seems to be building a relatively promising staff to lean on as he takes over as a full-time head coach for the first time.
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