Lakers' Clarkson aiming to set example 'like Kobe did' with work ethic

The Los Angeles Lakers are trying to return to relevance following a stretch of three down years capped off with Kobe Bryant's retirement.

Jordan Clarkson, who's been on the roster for two of those campaigns, had the privilege of learning from The Black Mamba, who urged the team to "continue to work hard and work together" following his departure.

"He told us to keep grinding and to grow with each other," Clarkson told Christoper Cason of Hypebeast. "That stuck with me throughout this free agency process as well."

The 6-foot-5 guard inked a four-year, $50-million contract this offseason to remain in Tinseltown. As a returning Laker, the 24-year-old "veteran" plans to capitalize on what he learned from Bryant and pass down the lessons to his younger teammates.

"I'm definitely going to share my advice as much as I can to help these young guys succeed. At the same time try to set an example like Kobe did with his great work ethic," Clarkson said.

The former D-Leaguer averaged 15.5 points, four rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.1 steals in 32.3 minutes per contest for the 17-65 Lakers in 2015-16. He's a career 33.8 percent 3-point shooter, and has been working on improving his long-range accuracy this summer.

In addition to that - along with playing Pokemon Go and watching movies - he's also been practicing both finishing at the basket with contact and creating offense off the dribble as he gears up to learn new head coach Luke Walton's system.

"I know we're going to be in a more uptempo and free system. I'm just trying to prepare as much as I can for that," Clarkson said, before expressing his eagerness for the upcoming campaign to get underway.

"I'm really excited for the season to get going. We have a lot of young talent but also a lot of doubters and critics. I'm just ready to begin the year, so we can start to quiet the storm and improve as a team."