The Los Angeles Lakers are ramping up for the new season and making some changes to give the team its best chance of going far in 2024-25.
According to a press release shared by Jovan Buha, the Lakers have hired Dr. Leroy Sims as the team’s new Director of Player Performance and Health.
Sims was previously the Senior Vice President, Head of Medical Operations with the NBA, and was a pivotal part of the creation of the Orlando bubble, where the Lakers won their last championship in 2020.
The Lakers announce they have hired Dr. Leroy Sims as their director of player performance and health. pic.twitter.com/7jW37KmSvz
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) August 21, 2024
In his new position, Sims will report directly to Rob Pelinka, general manager of the team.
He will be tasked with overseeing player medical care and the “optimization of health and performance.”
That is an important job for any team but especially for this Lakers squad.
The team is led by 39-year-old LeBron James, who has been prone to more injuries as he has gotten older.
Additionally, the team’s second-in-command, Anthony Davis, also has a long history of getting hurt.
Therefore, Sims has his work cut out for him.
He has a long history of helping athletes achieve their best, including with the USA Track & Field team in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil and he has also worked with USA Basketball teams in the 2020 and 2024 Olympics.
Lakers fans have high hopes for the new season and they are expecting the team to look much better than it did last year, even though the roster hasn’t changed much.
Sims will be a vital part of keeping the players in good health and performing to the best of their abilities.
He has had many jobs before but this might be Sims’ most challenging yet.
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