Lakers sign high-flying 6-foot-5 lefty from Western Conference rival

Billy Heyen

Lakers sign high-flying 6-foot-5 lefty from Western Conference rival image

There weren't too many surprising names on the Los Angeles Lakers' training camp roster.

But the last name listed was one that hadn't necessarily been anticipated: Nate Williams.

He's not a household name at all, in part because he has spent much of his basketball life going by his given name, Jeenathan. 

But it's an interesting offseason pickup from his previous stint with the Houston Rockets, and the fact that the Lakers have him in camp at all shows they like his game.

Williams is a 6-foot-5 lefty originally from Rochester, N.Y., where he played at University Prep before spending time at Prolific Prep in California.

He returned to western New York for college at the University of Buffalo.

Williams has since appeared in three NBA seasons, one with the Portland Trail Blazers and two with the Houston Rockets.

His averages through 47 NBA games are 3.9 points, 1.1 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 0.3 steals.

Williams has shot only 28.2% from 3-point range, which could be the swing skill that decides whether he's got any chance of sticking around.

He's a supreme athlete with good length, so he's likely someone the Lakers would at least hope to keep around with their G League team in South Bay, if nothing else.

For Williams, it's a chance to learn from some of the best players in the world and continue to prove he belongs at the NBA level.

MORE: Luka Doncic's official weight loss reveal has a bizarre twist

Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle