Lakers Hire NCAA National Championship-Winning Coach in NBA Draft Role

One of the greatest coaches in recent college basketball history joins the Los Angeles front office as it gears up for the draft.

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has hired former Virginia coach Tony Bennett as an advisor ahead of the NBA draft. | William Liang-Imagn Images

Tony Bennett has been out of basketball since 2024 when, on the eve of the college basketball season, he abruptly stepped down as Virginia coach, citing the ongoing changes in the sport. As the 2025–26 season hits the home stretch, Bennett is re-entering the fold—this time at the NBA level, as an advisor for the Lakers.

As Los Angeles prepares for the loaded 2026 NBA draft, team president Rob Pelinka announced that Bennett will serve as an advisor for the franchise.

“We’re thrilled and honored to welcome Tony as an advisor to the Lakers basketball operations department,” Pelinka said in a statement, via NBA reporter Mark Medina. “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. 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. We are truly excited.”

Based on Bennett’s comments at the end of his Virginia coaching tenure, a move to the NBA is logical, and the chance to work with the Lakers is an attractive opportunity for most basketball lifers.

Tony Bennett put a number of players into the NBA during his college career

Tony Bennett became the greatest coach in Virginia basketball history during his 15-year run in Charlottesville. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Bennett landed his first head coaching position at Washington State, leading the Cougars from 2006 to ‘09. Guard Kyle Weaver was the first of his players to be drafted, going to the Charlotte Bobcats early in the second round of the ‘08 draft. He would play three years in the league.

Bennett’s highest-profile draftee also came from Washington State, although he was taken two years after Bennett left for the Virginia job. Klay Thomspon was the No. 11 pick by the Warriors in the 2011 draft, and went on to become a key cog in the Golden State dynasty, a five-time All-Star and four-time NBA champion and one of the greatest shooters the league has seen.

At Virginia, Bennett produced 11 draft picks, including former Rookie of the Year and Sixth-Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon, sharpshooter Joe Harris and dynamic wing De’Andre Hunter.

While the list isn’t full of NBA stars, Bennett showed a knack for player development and identifying talent.

Draft Year	Player	Pick	Draft Team
2012	Mike Scott	Rd. 2, Pk. 43	Hawks
2014	Joe Harris	Rd. 2, Pk. 33	Cavaliers
2015	Justin Anderson	Rd. 1, Pk. 21	Mavericks
2016	Malcolm Brogdon	Rd. 2, Pk. 36	Bucks
2018	Devon Hall	Rd. 2, Pk. 53	Thunder
2019	De’Andre Hunter	Rd. 1, Pk. 4	Hawks
2019	Ty Jerome	Rd. 1, Pk. 24	Suns
2019	Marial Shayok*	Rd. 2, Pk. 54	76ers
2019	Kyle Guy	Rd. 2, Pk. 55	Kings
2021	Trey Murphy III	Rd. 1, Pk. 17	Pelicans
2024	Ryan Dunn	Rd. 1, Pk. 28	Nuggets

*Shayock was drafted after transferring to Iowa State.

At 34–23, Los Angeles is currently projected to land the No. 21 pick in the first round of the 2026 draft, per Tankathon.

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