As an Oakland native, NBA champion Juan Toscano-Anderson will always have a special place in his heart for his former team, the Golden State Warriors. But he’s just as excited to play for his new team, the Los Angeles Lakers, and wear the same purple and gold jersey as a late Lakers legend.
“I’m a Kobe fan,” Toscano-Anderson told reporters during a press conference this week to introduce him to Los Angeles. “That’s my favorite player ever.”
Toscano-Anderson continued: “[Kobe] is somebody I admired and wanted to be like. I was one of those kids whose teacher was telling to sit down because I was shooting paper balls in the trash yelling, ‘Kobe.’ To be able to put on the same jersey that Kobe donned, it’s all a part of the story. Hopefully, we can follow in Kobe’s footsteps and win some championships here.”
During the presser, Toscano-Anderson sounded very positive about what he felt he could bring to the Lakers and how he could help his new teammates, which now include All-Star players LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
“I think my skill set translates to any team,” he said. “I think what I do is so versatile. I think I can fit on any team. I’ll do whatever it takes to win. My energy [and] the way I approach my craft, I think is infectious. I think I’m a very cerebral player.”
Prior to making it on an NBA roster, Toscano-Anderson played four years for Marquette University and played professional basketball in Mexico and Venezuela.
Watch Juan Toscano-Anderson’s entire press conference below.