Sandro Mamukelashvili described playing for the Los Angeles Lakers as a surreal experience after helping his new team beat the Sacramento Kings 114-110 in Thursday’s preseason matchup at Crypto.com Arena.
Mamukelashvili scored 19 points, dished out four assists and grabbed three rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench. He shot 7-of-10 from the field and made three of his six attempts from three-point range as the Lakers improved to 2-1 in preseason play.
Asked what the Lakers need to accomplish before the regular season begins, Mamukelashvili emphasized the importance of learning to play together.
“We just got to learn more, kind of get used to each other, learn each other’s tendencies, play together,” he said. “Everybody’s given effort. We all understand how important it is.”
The forward added that the team must continue learning its offensive plays and defensive schemes while building chemistry with its new-look roster.
“It’s a new team, so we all try to showcase our skills and make sure we play hard,” Mamukelashvili said.
For Mamukelashvili, joining the Lakers carries special significance because of his childhood connection to the franchise and his admiration for Kobe Bryant.
Asked what it felt like to wear the purple and gold inside the Lakers’ home arena, the forward struggled to put the experience into words.
“I don’t think I can describe it in words,” Mamukelashvili said. “All day I’ve been walking around feeling surreal. Like, emotions, I just can’t describe it. I feel like I’m wearing glasses and it’s just like 3D.”
He compared the experience to seeing everything in three dimensions, explaining how unusual it felt to be inside the building and have people showing him around.
“It was amazing, and the fans are amazing,” he added. “I’m grateful, and I’m looking forward to having a season.”
Mamukelashvili has made an immediate impact from beyond the arc during the preseason, converting eight of his first 14 three-point attempts, according to the interview question.
The forward credited head coach JJ Redick and the coaching staff for encouraging him to shoot without hesitation when he gets an open look.
“I’ll be honest. It’s all called JJ and the coaching staff,” Mamukelashvili said. “They gave me so much confidence. They told me if I have a good shot to take it, not even hesitate and think about it.”
He explained that the staff’s trust allows him to focus on executing rather than overthinking his decisions.
“When you know your coach has your back, there’s not much thinking. You just shoot it,” he said.
Mamukelashvili also credited the work he has put into his shooting, saying repetition has helped make the process feel automatic.
“I’ve taken a lot of reps. I work on my shot a lot, so now it’s just muscle memory takes over,” he said.
The Lakers forward also welcomed the opportunity to share the court with Austin Reaves alongside Luka Doncic. Reaves finished with eight points and eight assists against Sacramento, while Doncic led Los Angeles with 23 points.
“Amazing. He’s such a great player offensively,” Mamukelashvili said of Reaves. “He has so many moves in his bag, and every time you think he picked the ball up, he has another kind of move to make.”
He also praised Reaves’ decision-making and ability to adapt to the flow of a possession.
“He’s such a fast thinker,” Mamukelashvili said. “I’ll just let you kind of flow in the game.”
