The Los Angeles Lakers are bolstering their coaching staff with the addition of Justin Robinson, formerly the director of player development for the Duke Blue Devils.
Robinson joins the Lakers as a player development coach, a role that has become a key focus for the organization since hiring JJ Redick last summer. That emphasis was evident in the early growth of 2024 draft picks Dalton Knecht and Bronny James, both of whom showed encouraging signs during their rookie seasons.
Duke’s reputation for producing NBA-ready talent speaks for itself, especially in the 2025 draft, which featured No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel, and No. 10 pick Khaman Maluach. With Robinson now officially part of Redick’s staff in Los Angeles, the Lakers are hoping his experience developing elite prospects will translate to success at the NBA level.
Given the Lakers’ perennial championship aspirations, this shift in approach marks a notable change—but a necessary one. Under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, maximizing every roster asset has become critical. That makes developing cost-controlled draft prospects more important than ever.
It starts with scouting players who fit the team’s system and then investing in their development. With Justin Robinson now part of the coaching staff, he’ll be directly involved in shaping the growth of young players like Dalton Knecht, Bronny James, and newly drafted second-round pick Adou Thiero.
At Duke, Robinson likely had a hand in the development of elite prospects like Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach—each of whom became lottery picks. While their talent speaks for itself, Robinson’s ability to elevate less-heralded players will be something to watch closely. JJ Redick has emphasized surrounding himself with top-tier staff, and his Duke connection with Robinson suggests a strong level of trust in his abilities.
Meanwhile, Dalton Knecht is putting in serious work this offseason, reportedly going through three-a-day workouts as he aims to take a significant step forward in his second year. After an up-and-down rookie campaign—which included a rescinded trade and limited minutes under Redick—Knecht knows that improvement is essential if he’s going to carve out a bigger role in the Lakers’ future.
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