Lakers new aid, Mannon: A dream-chasing journey from college to the Purple and Gold Legion

On July 25, the Los Angeles Lakers officially issued an announcement, officially announcing a two-way contract with defender Chris Mannon. This news has added new highlights to the Lakers' offseason operation and has also made fans look forward to this young player.

Monon, a 23-year-old young guard, has a solid basketball journey. In the 2024-25 season, he played for Vanderbilt, playing in 33 games, with 26 starts. Despite averaging only 18.2 minutes of playing time, he contributed 6.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and an astonishing 1.7 steals. This season, his 54 steals ranked tenth in the Vanderbilt University team history single-season steal list, a data that fully demonstrates his sharpness and enthusiasm on the defensive end.

Before playing for Vanderbilt, Mannon spent three seasons at Cornell in 2021-24, where he gained extensive game experience and constantly polished his skills. This young man from New Jersey gradually made his mark in the college basketball court with his own efforts and talent.

And recently, Mannon represented the Golden State Warriors in the 2025 Summer League, and he was active in both the California Classics and the NBA 2K26 Summer League. In seven games in the Warriors Summer League, Mannon performed well, averaging 9.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. The comprehensive data performance demonstrated his potential and strength on both offense and defense, and also allowed the Lakers to see his value and finally decided to recruit him under their command.

In the new season, Mannon will wear the Lakers' No. 30 jersey and start his journey with the Purple and Gold Army. For the Lakers, Mannon's joining undoubtedly injected new vitality into the team. His enthusiasm and stealing ability on the defensive end are expected to improve the team's defensive intensity and create trouble for the opponent's offense; and on the offensive end, he also has certain scoring ability and organizational ability, which may bring surprises to the team at certain moments.

From the college field to the NBA stage, Mannon took an important step in his career. The Lakers have always been famous for their deep basketball heritage and championship traditions. It is not only his personal honor to join such a giant team, but also a recognition of his ability. However, the competition in the NBA is extremely fierce, and the challenges faced by Mannon are not small. He needs to adapt to the higher level of game rhythm as soon as possible, establish a tacit understanding with his new teammates, and integrate into the Lakers' tactical system.

Lakers fans are full of expectations for Mannon and hope that he can fully realize his potential in the new season and contribute to the team's victory. Can Ma Nong gain a foothold in the Purple Gold Legion and write his own wonderful chapters? Let us pay attention to the Lakers game in the new season and witness the growth and transformation of Mannon.

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