Last week, an LA Lakers fan account took a shot at forward Jarred Vanderbilt. Fans went into a frenzy a few days later once they found out he blocked the account for the remark he made.
This ordeal all began back on January 23rd, when a Lakers fan account posted that Vanderbilt is the worst player in the NBA with the ball in his hands. While he is an effective role player, he isn't know for being an on-ball threat.
The post ended up going viral, which likely led to Jarred Vanderbilt seeing it. A few days later, that same account posted that he had been blocked by his personal account. NBA fans quickly began joking that it all happened because of the initial post.
Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.
Vanderbilt, 24, is in the midst of his first full season with the Lakers after being acquired from the Utah Jazz at last year's deadline. This season, he is averaging 4.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.2 assists off the bench.
Jarred Vanderbilt feels LA Lakers are hitting their stride
Heading into the season, the LA Lakers were a team expected to be in the title hunt. Just past the halfway point, they don't find themselves in a great position. They continue to hang around .500, and are in ninth place in the Western Conference standings.
Despite their struggles following the In-Season Tournament, Jarred Vanderbilt feels the team is finally trending in the right direction. After their recent win over the Golden State Warriors, the veteran forward touched on how the Lakers are starting to turn the corner.
"I think we have a special group here," Vanderbilt said. "We're starting to turn that corner at the right time I feel like."
Aside from LeBron James, Vanderbilt was a key standout for the Lakers in the double-overtime thriller. In 41 minutes off the bench, he posted a stat line of 14 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and four steals.
Part of why Vanderbilt feels strongly about the Lakers moving forward is that they are finally starting to get healthy. Especially when it comes to him personally. Vanderbilt began the year on the sidelines and didn't get to make his debut until 21 games into the season. Now with a good amount of games under his belt, he is starting to feel comfortable on the floor.
Jarred Vanderbilt had a slow starting coming back from injury, but really hit his stride in January. Over his last 13 games, he is averaging 7.0 PPG and 5.7 RPG while shooting 60% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc on low volume.
With his ability to make plays on both ends of the floor, Vanderbilt will key piece LA moving forward as they look to turn things around.
Los Angeles Lakers Fan? Check out the latest Lakers depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.