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LAS VEGAS — Lakers forward Sandro Mamukelashvili has received praise for his play during the preseason.
But it’s one of his friendships off of the court that drew attention during Tuesday’s loss to the Warriors.
As Mamukelashvili caught a pass from Quentin Grimes with just under two minutes left in the second quarter of the exhibition against the Warriors, the Georgian forward drove past Yaxel Lendeborg and flushed down a one-handed dunk over the rookie forward.
Not too far away from courtside at T-Mobile Arena was a man pumping his fast and cheering Mamukelashvili on after the highlight play: Flavor Flav.
Not random at all.
Flav, whose real name is William Jonathan Drayton Jr., and the 6-foot-9 Lakers forward have a friendship that dates back to when Mamukelashvili was selected in the second round of the 2021 draft.
Mamukelashvili’s financial advisor is friends with the Public Enemy founding member, with Flav going to one of Mamukelashvili’s summer league games after he was selected with the No. 54 pick in the 2021 draft.
They hit it off.
From there, the New York natives went to a Yankees game together and then had dinner, starting the friendship that’s spanned nearly half a decade and led to Flav being in attendance for Tuesday’s game.
“It’s always cool to have him,” Mamukelashvili said. “He’s such a great energy giver. Such a great energy [guy]. He always has this positive impact and always, like [Monday], he was so hyped. We were talking for two hours and he was so hyped and he kind of pumped me up. And I knew he was coming to the game so I was really excited.”
Flav is equally as excited for Mamukelashvili.
“I’m so happy for him,” Flav said. “And I’m happy for the Lakers. I feel the Lakers are lucky to have him.”