UCLA’s Zach LaVine sets Lakers workout record

UCLA guard Zach LaVine had the stat of the day at the Lakers’ draft workouts.

He nailed a 46-inch vertical leap Wednesday morning.

It wasn’t quite a traditional vertical (he was tested for that as well) but on the record-setter for a Lakers draft workout, he was allowed to take a few steps before jumping. He broke the 44-inch mark in the moving vertical set last year by former Louisville guard Peyton Siva.

“I’ve gone higher than that before, but, yeah,” LaVine said. “I think I was pumped a little bit. You know, the Lakers.”

LaVine, a 6-foot-6 guard, is projected to go in the middle of the first round, perhaps a bit higher, after leaving UCLA as a freshman. He is expected to play point guard in the NBA.

He seemed excited to be one of 12 players working out Wednesday for the Lakers.

“Me being a Laker fan since I was younger, just having the experience to come here, it’s a lot of fun for me,” he said at the Lakers’ El Segundo training facility. “I’m taking it all in, looking at the sights, looking at all the Kobe and Shaq pictures. I’m having fun.”

LaVine, 19, knows what awaits in the NBA after averaging 9.4 points and 1.8 assists mainly as a shooting guard for the Bruins.

“You’re messing with 35-year-old men,” LaVine said. “You’ve got to mature and be ready for that battle.”