Lakers Make Crucial Addition to Coaching Staff Before NBA 2021-22

Published 10/03/2021, 12:18 AM EDT

With every passing week, the Lakers are getting stronger. Be it their roster, their coaching staff, or their training sessions, everything is running on point. These are early signs of a groundbreaking season, bar any significant injuries.

And now, in yet another chess move, the Lake Show has added a new piece to their coaching front. This news comes as a refreshing update for the WNBA that has been continuously producing and sharpening great talents.

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Lakers go with a powerful WNBA name to help them in 2021-22 season

As per fresh reports, Rob Pelinka’s front office has blessed Frank Vogel with another helping hand. This time, it’s the iconic Shay Murphy from the WNBA. She will be the coaching associate for the Lakers Nation in the upcoming season.

At a point in time, where Becky Hemmon has already coached (for a game) the Spurs, this news comes as a big hope for the female stars. It’s time that the NBA embraces the talents from the WNBA and the Lakers have made a great move in that direction.

The Lakers have added former WNBA player Shay Murphy as a coaching associate, sources told ESPN. The L.A.-area native attended USC and had a pro career that spanned more than a decade overseas and in the WNBA, where she won a title with Phoenix in 2014. pic.twitter.com/CSzkd7pw0F
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 3, 2021

With Shay on the staff, the Lakers will get extra help during the preseason and training camps. While her exact role is still unclear, the picture in the tweet proves she’s already with the team, having a great time.

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Who is Shay Murphy?

Shay is a well-known WNBA name who played with four different teams in a career spanning a decade. She retired in 2017 with a championship ring that she got during her stint with Brittney Griner’s Phoenix Mercury.

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The 5’11” California-born guard averaged 4.7 points in 225 regular season games and also played three postseasons in her career. Interestingly, the second-round pick from the 2007 draft started playing basketball as a Lakers fan. She would notice the dominance of the Lakers in her neighborhood, which got her into the game at age 12.

Today, the 36-YO is living her dream, coaching the Lakers alongside David Fizdale, John Lucas III, Phil Handy, Miles Simon, Quinton Crawford, and Mike Penberthy.

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We wish her all the luck.

Watch this story: Listing Kobe Bryant’s Best Lakers Teammates

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Written by:

Sourabh Singh is an NBA sports analyst for EssentiallySports, who has been working with the site since May 2020. Prior to this, he functioned as Managing Editor at WittyFeed, followed by a stint at Decathlon. The Sports Management graduate leads an active lifestyle, veering to the mountains for off-trail adventures.

Lakers Make Crucial Addition to Coaching Staff Before NBA 2021-22

Lakers go with a powerful WNBA name to help them in 2021-22 season

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Who is Shay Murphy?