Devontae Cacok is one of the gems that the Los Angeles Lakers have churned out. Being undrafted and undersized hasn’t stopped his dominance. As a G-Leaguer, he put up 19.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game.
The Lakers brought in another undersized big in Montrezl Harrell. He’s a perfect player that Cacok could learn from. Lakers Head Coach Frank Vogel sees it the same, per Silver Screen and Roll’s Harrison Faigen:
Frank Vogel says that Montrezl Harrell is "a good model" for Devontae Cacok to learn from. Cacok has previously (before the Lakers signed him) called Harrell someone he modeled his game after.
— Preseason Faigen (@hmfaigen) December 12, 2020
Centers have downsized over the years with shooting on the rise. Teams can get away with playing wing-sized players in the post. For the Lakers, they have the luxury of “biggie small” basketball. Their frontcourt depth of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Marc Gasol have guard skills and low-post ability. Cacok and Harrell expand the repertoire. They like to get in the paint and on the boards.
Harrell isn’t just all rebounds, but he’s a scorer. He’s a very good scorer. He has averaged 17.6 points per game the last two seasons. That attribute isn’t all hustle, it’s a skill too. It’s a skill that Cacok could also nurture.
Cacok will likely be a deep reserve guy this season, but that’s not a bad thing. It means he’s beat the odds from being undrafted to a defending champion. Spending time with accomplished veterans means great things for the Lakers’ future.
