Changes in the Lakers’ Front Office
The Lakers are shaking things up once again.
They’ve brought on former Virginia men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett as an advisor for the NBA draft, working alongside Rob Pelinka, the director of basketball operations and general manager. The announcement came on Wednesday.
Pelinka remarked, “As we refine and build the NBA draft and scouting process, having a basketball mind like Tony Bennett as a resource is invaluable. His history of developing high-character, skilled players with strong basketball IQs is well-respected in the basketball community. We believe Tony will greatly enhance our scouting and draft efforts.”
Bennett, who boasts two National Coach of the Year awards from 2007 and 2018, led the University of Virginia from 2009 to 2024. His retirement came as a surprise last year.
In 2019, he guided the Cavaliers to win the NCAA championship, a monumental achievement.
Before Virginia, Bennett held assistant coaching positions with the Cougars from 2003-2006 and served as head coach at Washington State University from 2006-2009.
His journey began after playing professional basketball, including a stint with the Hornets from 1992-1995. He got his coaching start in 1998 with the North Harbor Vikings in New Zealand before moving to an assistant role at Wisconsin the following year.
During his coaching career, 13 players who were coached by Bennett have been selected in the NBA Draft.
Reflecting on his new role, Bennett said, “When Rob and I began our discussions, I was drawn to the chance to contribute to such a prestigious organization. The Lakers have a legacy that is truly remarkable, and I’m eager to support Rob and the team in any way I can.”
This hiring follows a series of changes within the Lakers’ front office, especially since Dodgers owner Mark Walter acquired a majority stake in the team last fall.
Back in November, the Lakers parted ways with longtime executives Joey Buss and Jesse Buss, along with a large portion of the scouting staff. More recently, Dodgers executives Farhan Zaidi and Andrew Friedman joined the Lakers in advisory roles, and earlier this month, Ron Rosen was appointed as the Lakers’ president of business operations.
