LOS ANGELES — Just ask Kobe Bufkin. Sharing the same first name as Kobe Bryant while playing in the arena that the “Black Mamba” called home is worth sharing, even when not asked about it.
Bufkin, the Lakers’ new signee, took fewer than 30 seconds to bring up the fact in the minutes before the Lakers took on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night.
“My name being Kobe is very cool,” Bufkin told the Southern California News Group on Monday. “I’m just excited to get to work, and whatever that comes with.”
Bufkin, a 6-foot-4 guard who spent time with the Lakers on a 10-day contract in January (his second 10-day contract, the first of which came with the Memphis Grizzlies in November), officially joined the 15-player active roster on Sunday, signing a two-year deal that includes a team option, a source familiar with the situation told SCNG on Saturday night. The third-year pro and former first-round draft pick of the Atlanta Hawks, has spent the majority of the 2025-2026 season with the South Bay Lakers in the G-League, scoring 27.7 points points per game while shooting 52.2% from the field and 43.1% from 3-point range across 14 games.
When it came to deciding between the buyout market or promoting from within, Coach JJ Redick shared his thoughts of how the team handled the open roster spot – noting the ability to keep Bufkin within their system as a leading factor.
“There’s a lot of factors that go into the buyout market, I’ll just be frank,” Redick said, adding that teams also have to determine if a player is healthy. “I mean, because I did this, you know, when I was working in media, it barely, very rarely, produces a player that impacts a team’s playoff chances. It just, it very rarely does.”
“Kobe has certainly earned a spot in the NBA with the way he’s played this year for us in South Bay. There’s also factors of, you know, are we going to be able to keep him in our program? So there’s a lot that went into it. We feel really happy that we got him on a roster spot.”
Bufkin said a full-time role with the Lakers is something he’s relishing – calling it a “full-circle” moment after having been courted by the Lakers and President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Rob Pelinka before the 2023 NBA Draft.
“It means a lot,” the 22-year-old said. “Even dating back to draft night, I had conversations with the Lakers. Ended up going to the Hawks, ultimately, but they’ve always shown interest, always showed love – Rob specifically.”
Redick said he’s seen Bufkin make strides in the G-League with South Bay coach Zach Guthrie and believes he has the positional size to be a “plus defender” along with his “ability to shoot the ball consistently.”
Bufkin said the ability to get defensive scheming reps in the G-League has allowed him to “know where to be” on the court, but he also recognizes that defense is where he needs to grow the most going forward.
Full frontcourt
For the first time since the final game of the Lakers’ eight-game Grammys trip against the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 3, both centers Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes will be available to play. Hayes served a one-game suspension without pay against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, while Ayton was a late scratch with right knee soreness on Saturday night against the Golden State Warriors.
Backup forward/center Maxi Kleber played an increased role in both games, leading the Lakers in plus-minus during the victories.
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