Lakers’ Andrew Goudelock isn’t happy being a footnote
Reporting from Salt Lake City — Andrew Goudelock has had some rookie moments.
The Lakers shooting guard committed a turnover late in the first quarter Friday against Golden State when he stepped out of bounds.
No big deal, except he stepped out of bounds again less than halfway through the second quarter.
Coach Mike Brown immediately yanked Goudelock from the game, although Brown could afford a lighthearted jab at the second-round draft pick after the Lakers went on to beat the Warriors.
“If he’s out there turning the ball over and stuff,” Brown said, looking directly into a video camera and smiling, “Goudelock, that will get you off the floor quickly.”
Goudelock was in no mood to laugh Wednesday before the Lakers’ 90-87 overtime victory against the Utah Jazz, still stewing over two fourth-quarter turnovers he made Tuesday night against Phoenix.
Playing behind Kobe Bryant your first season out of college isn’t always as glamorous as it might seem.
“It’s definitely an honor to even be with the Lakers, let alone be Kobe Bryant’s backup,” Goudelock said. “That being said, I don’t want to always be known as Kobe Bryant’s backup. I want people to actually get my name right and I want people to actually know my name.”
It’s pronounced GOWD-lock, a name that has taken some getting used to around the organization. Goudelock said it took Lakers public-address announcer Lawrence Tanter eight games to get it right.
Several teammates call him Little Fella and a few assistant coaches prefer G-Lock. Brown calls him Gowd, which Goudelock finds ironic since that’s the part of his name that’s typically mispronounced.
Goudelock made the team out of training camp because of his ability to create off the dribble. He’s averaging 1.7 points and 6.7 minutes per game. He did not play Wednesday.
Goudelock is finally settling in to life in Los Angeles after living out of a hotel near the Lakers’ El Segundo practice facility for a month. He moved into a Playa del Rey apartment this week, and soon he’ll even get furniture.
Playing four seasons at the College of Charleston has helped ease his transition to the NBA, Goudelock said. Not that it’s easy.
“You’re not in high school, you’re not in college,” said Goudelock, who intends to earn a sociology degree by taking two classes in the summer. “No one’s going to baby you. Nobody’s going to tell you what to do. If you don’t play well, your job’s at stake.”
The other rookie
Darius Morris’ lone highlight before Wednesday might have been when his face was shown on the Staples Center scoreboard along with happy birthday wishes when he turned 21 on Jan. 3.
No longer.
The rookie guard made his NBA debut against the Jazz, scoring his first basket on a short jumper and logging his first assist on a pass to Metta World Peace that went for a dunk. Morris finished with four points and two assists in 13 minutes.
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