Lakers hire Tony Bennett as NBA draft adviser

The Lakers’ front office changes continue.

Former Virginia men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett was hired as an NBA draft adviser to president of basketball operations/general manager Rob Pelinka, the franchise announced Wednesday.

“As we refine and build out our NBA draft and scouting processes, we could think of no better basketball mind than Tony Bennett to have as a resource,” Pelinka said in a statement. “Tony’s track record of forming culture, with high-character, high-skill and high-IQ players is revered and respected across all basketball circles. Tony will be an incredible asset to our basketball leadership, to our scouts and to our draft department as a whole.”

Bennett is a two-time national Coach of the Year (2007, ‘18) and was Virginia’s head coach from 2009-24 before retiring unexpectedly.

He led the Cavaliers to the 2019 NCAA championship.

Bennett also coached Washington State (2006-09) after being an assistant for the Cougars from 2003-2006.

After playing basketball professionally, which included playing for the Hornets (1992-1995), Bennett started his coaching career with New Zealand’s North Harbour Vikings in 1998 before becoming an assistant for Wisconsin in 1999. 

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Thirteen players who played for Bennett during his collegiate coaching career were selected in the NBA draft.

“When Rob and I began talking, what stood out to me was the chance to help out such a storied organization,” Bennett said in a statement. “The Lakers carry a tradition that speaks for itself, so to be connected to it and assist Rob and the Lakers in any way I can is exciting.”

Bennett’s hiring comes after several front office changes since Mark Walter, who is also the Dodgers’ owner, bought majority ownership of the Lakers in the fall.

The Lakers fired longtime front office executives Joey and Jesse Buss in November, along with a significant chunk of their scouting department.

Dodgers executives Farhan Zaidi and Andrew Friedman joined the Lakers in advisory roles in November. Fellow Dodgers executive Lon Rosen was hired as Lakers president of business operations earlier this month.