Sandro Mamukelashvili has yet to wear his Lakers uniform in an NBA game but is already making the most of his time with the team.
Mamukelashvili appeared in an interview on the golf course with Deondre Hawkins of ESPN and spoke about the team’s recent trip to Luka Dončić’s home country of Slovenia.
“First of all, shoutout to Luka. I think the organization was amazing, the way they planned everything,” Mamukelashvili said. “They showed us a lot of great places, and Ljubljana is a really, really nice city.”
“Plus, it was great for the new team. It was a bunch of new guys on the team, and you know, all of us being together, it didn’t even feel like it was a lot of new guys.”
Mamukelashvili said the team jelled well, and he left feeling excited for this season because of how excited everyone else was.
Aside from the trip, Mamukelashvili and his Lakers teammates have been spotted golfing throughout the offseason. He was asked who is the team’s second-best golfer after Austin Reaves.
“I’ve been hearing a lot about Bronny [James],” Mamukelashvili said. “They say he’s really, really good, and that he actually plays a lot. … So I’m kind of looking forward to seeing the Luka, Austin, Bronny tournament.”
The new Lakers forward was one of the key depth pieces Rob Pelinka, the team’s president of basketball operations, made over the offseason. Mamukelashvili will join the team as a sixth-year veteran after bouncing around the league with the Bucks, Spurs and Raptors.
Mamukelashvili is a year removed from a career high, averaging 11.2 points per game, as well as 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists.
While the Lakers are enjoying their time off the basketball court, the NBA season is rapidly approaching. The team is expected to report for training camp on Sept. 29.
The 2026-2027 season is a pivotal year for the Lakers, who are transitioning to new ownership for the second season in a row.
They are also about to enter a new era of Lakers basketball that features the team fully embracing Dončić as the main guy after LeBron James’ departure during the offseason.
