The Los Angeles Lakers announced the signings of big Vincent Valerio-Bodon and guards Damion Baugh, Bryce Hamilton, and Scotty Pippen Jr. today.
Valerio-Bodon (6’9″, 200) played 30 games (all starts) for Sopron KC of the Hungarian NBIA during the 2022-23 season, averaging 8.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 25.7 minutes per game while shooting 50.3 percent from the field, 41.2 percent from 3-point range, and 87.9 percent from the free-throw line. In 2021-22, he appeared in 28 games (24 starts) for DEAC of the Hungarian NBIA, averaging 5.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 19.3 minutes per game. Valerio-Bodon appeared in one game for the Boston Celtics at the 2023 NBA 2K24 Summer League in Las Vegas, scoring 13 points (4-8 FG, 2-4 3PT, 3-3 FT), grabbing six rebounds, assisting three times, and blocking one shot.
Baugh (6’4″, 194) joins the team after spending the previous four seasons at TCU (2021-23) and the University of Memphis (2019-21). During his collegiate career, the Tennessee native appeared in 117 games (88 starts), averaging 7.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 steals in 26.8 minutes. Baugh played in 29 games (all starts) as a Horned Frog, averaging 12.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.8 steals in 35.0 minutes per game, earning him All-Big 12 Second Team accolades. He finished third in the conference in total assists (169) and thirteenth in the NCAA in assists per game (5.8).
Hamilton (6’4″, 205) played in 29 regular-season games (27 starts) with the South Bay Lakers last season, averaging 14.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 28.2 minutes per game. The Pasadena, California, native attended UNLV for four years (2018-22), participating in 119 games (69 starts) and averaging 14.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 26.0 minutes per game. As a senior, his 21.8 point per game average led all league players. Hamilton was named to three consecutive Mountain West conference All-Mountain West teams, including two first-team choices in 2019-20 and 2021-22.
Pippen Jr. (6’1″, 185) appeared in 19 NBA G League regular season games (four starts) for South Bay in 2022-23, averaging 21.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.6 steals in 27.9 minutes per game. The 22-year-old was awarded NBA G League Player of the Week on December 19 after being selected to play in the 2023 Jordan Rising Stars Game as part of NBA All-Star Weekend. He also played in six games with the Los Angeles Lakers last season, scoring 2.3 points in 5.3 minutes per game. In three collegiate seasons (2019-22), he appeared in 90 games (89 starts) for Vanderbilt University, averaging 17.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.6 steals in 31.6 minutes. Pippen Jr. was named to the SEC First Team after his sophomore and junior seasons.
