Collin Sexton comes across as polite and understated.
… Until you watch him play.
The 27-year-old guard transforms from someone who speaks in hushed tones and politely nods in the locker room into someone who more closely resembles a rabid animal when he’s on the court.
In a viral video of him guarding Cam Christie in the Lakers’ 103-87 win over the Clippers on Wednesday, Sexton’s eyes were bulging. His jaw was clenched, except for his tongue poking out. It almost appears as though he was roaring.
When his on-court vs. off-court dichotomy was brought to Sexton’s attention after the game, he chuckled.
“Honestly, I would say when I step between those lines, it’s us against them,” said Sexton, who had 21 points on 6-for-11 shooting, four rebounds and two assists as the Lakers improved to 4-1.
“I’m going to do whatever my team needs for me. I feel like I turn into a different person when it’s time to go. And I think my teammates know that, so they try to talk to me a little bit, but they know I’m in the zone and ready to go to war. And that’s how I look at it. Whenever I step between those lines, it’s war time. So, that’s how I look at it, for sure.”
On a night when the Lakers were missing two starters in Luka Doncic (back tightness) and Ziaire Williams (left foot soreness), Sexton had the highest plus-minus of anyone on the court (+23).
The Lakers acquired Sexton on a two-year, $19 million deal in July, hoping the veteran could be a secondary ball-handler and give the Lakers a scoring punch off the bench. He has career averages of 18.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists over eight seasons with the Cavaliers, Jazz, Hornets and Bulls.
So far, the Lakers have appreciated what he’s bringing to the team on both ends of the court. Austin Reaves has described him as a “pest” defensively. Lakers coach JJ Redick called him “intense.”
“Sometimes it’s hard to get his attention, you know, because he gets locked in, he gets in the zone,” Redick said. “I love the competitive fire.”
