Fresh out of college basketball and donning the iconic purple and yellow jersey of the Los Angeles Lakers, is a dream for many youngsters. Not to mention the immense pride that it brings for them while sharing the roster with greats like Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. But, many don’t grasp what goes behind the glamour and the buzz. And the same was the case for this former Lakers point guard Darius Johnson-Odom till he saw it for himself.

Darius Johnson-Odom, who played for three seasons at Marquette University, was picked by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2012 NBA Draft. However, he couldn’t anticipate what was about to happen next. “I got a call from my agent, you’re getting traded to the Lakers, I’m like, all right, cool,” Johnson-Odom said in an interview with Jefe Island. The 23-year-old at the time entered this storied franchise with a different mindset only for him to realise that there are other factors at play.

The rookies were given a lot of work by the veterans of the team. This was done solely to develop chemistry among the players so that they could carry it on the court. And for a team like the Los Angeles Lakers team chemistry was equally important as elite gameplay. These were the stages that a rookie needed to pass before getting along freely with the team. “It’s also a business side of it. You can’t immediately be who you are naturally, on that stage, so, um, you have to take a step back as far as who you are as a competitor, maybe, as in intensity but you always got to stay professional,” said the former Lakers player.

The 34-year-old pointed out that he didn’t have this understanding and he thought that since he was working hard during the practice hours, he deserved to get playing time with the other players. Looking back at it, he now realizes that he should’ve been more patient because there’s an order to how things work.

Johnson-Odom’s stint with the Lakers was short-lived, but he went on to play for several other teams throughout his NBA career. However, he never forgot the lessons he got after adorning the Lakers uniform. But did you know he got one of the biggest lessons from Black Mamba himself?

Darius Johnson-Odom’s incident with Kobe Bryant

The NBA legend Kobe Bryant once delivered a stern rebuke to this young Lakers rookie. As mentioned earlier Johnson had a lot of responsibilities during his rookie time with the Lakers and he kind of slipped up one time under the pressure.

Following the team’s routine, Johnson-Odom had to wake up at five in the morning every day and had to take everyone’s bags to the bus for practice without any delay. Regularly following this routine had taken a toll on young Johnson’s body and he had dozed off one day. 

Bryant, known for his intense work ethic and unwavering commitment to excellence, wasted no time in calling out Johnson’s behavior. Bryant reportedly yelled at the rookie, admonishing him for his lack of dedication and professionalism, and even asked for the team to get rid of him.

But Bryant, being the mentor that he was, had a one-on-one conversation with Johnson and explained to him how important it was to be punctual. Bryant gained Johnson’s respect from this. The incident served as a pivotal moment in the point guard’s young career, motivating him to step up his game and meet the expectations of his legendary teammate.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.