After making a sign-and-trade for Walker Kessler, the Los Angeles Lakers added more frontcourt depth by signing three-time NBA champion Kevon Looney in free agency.
Looney has several title runs with the Golden State Warriors under his belt, and by signing with the Lakers as a free agent this summer, is bringing much-needed experience for a Luka Doncic-led team looking to take another leap.
While many, including several top NBA reporters and insiders, do not see the Lakers as title contenders, Looney, in fact, thinks the opposite. In a recent interview, the 30-year-old center spoke about how this current Los Angeles team mirrors the talent he shared the court with during his legendary run with the Warriors.
Kevon Looney Turns Heads With Lakers ‘Championship’ Comments
In a recent interview with ESPN LA, Looney said he believes the Lakers’ roster for the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season has the talent to win a championship, based on the knowledge he has after reaching the mountain top three times earlier in his career.
“I won a few championships, so I know what it takes to get there. I know what it looks like. I feel like we have the talent to do that, and we have the superstar to do that.”
Los Angeles brought in a ton of new talent, including the center, after losing key free agents like LeBron James and Rui Hachimura. Still, with Doncic, Kessler, Austin Reaves, and a solid rotational cast, Looney believes this group has what it takes to win four straight playoff rounds.
“That internal uplift represents a stark contrast to what the Lakers have been hearing from many external voices,” Svyatoslav Rovenchuk wrote about his championship comments. “Looney is doing his best to turn his teammates into believers. If that mission is accomplished, all the skeptics should be in for a healthy surprise.”
Looney signed a one-year, $3.8 million deal in free agency after spending last year with the New Orleans Pelicans following his departure from the Warriors.
Earlier in the summer, the three-time champion revealed what Lakers fans can expect with his arrival.
“Lakers fans can expect a lot from me,” Looney said in a video posted by the franchise. “Expect a lot of energy, a lot of hustle, a lot of rebounds. That’s something that I’ve been kind of known for. I want to bring that experience to the Lakers.”
Los Angeles’ New Center Also Has High Praise For Luka Doncic
In the same interview with ESPN LA, Looney also spoke at length about joining superstar Doncic next season.
The franchise centerpiece made headlines recently for hosting a mini-camp in his home country of Slovenia, taking nearly all of his Lakers teammates to Europe to showcase where he grew up and to boost team chemistry.
When asked about Doncic hosting the Slovenia trip, Looney said he’d never seen a superstar make a move like that.
“So it just shows his character, showing that he really wants to win. He wants people to know his background, why he is, how he is. And I think we did a good job of that,” Looney said. “He’s a great player and a great leader, and he likes to show what he can do on the court. And we got to see his personality off the court. So it was great. We’re gonna follow him.”
“I’ve been in the league for a while, and that was my first time doing something like that, to go into somebody’s country and bring us all out there and spend that much time together. I never did that before,” he added.
Throughout the offseason after signing with the Lakers, Looney has spoken multiple times about his excitement for this new chapter of his career. Playing behind Kessler as the team’s backup center, he will have a decently sized role next season, as his defense and two-man game will be much needed as Los Angeles hunts for its first title with Doncic leading the charge.
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