“Unleash the Scream: Inside the Lakers’ Secret to Cultivating a Championship Mentality”

In the high-stakes world of professional basketball, where physical prowess meets strategic genius, join me as we delve into the crucible of dedication and ambition. The story I’m about to unfurl is that of a Houston native, a man whose journey through the NBA’s labyrinthine paths has been both arduous and instructive. His name? Jordan Goodwin. His goal? To keep the dream alive by defying the odds. After meticulous self-transformation, losing over 20 pounds and slashing more than 10 percent of his body fat, he turned the tables on the fleeting allure of the NBA’s lavish life.

After an unanticipated setback—a hamstring injury—sidelined him from training camp with the Lakers, Goodwin’s tale reads less like a narrative of career setbacks and more like a saga of resilience. His tenure in the NBA has been an odyssey, bouncing among cities from Washington to Phoenix, onto Memphis, each stop a chapter in his ongoing story. Yet, without a permanent post, the Lakers saw in him not just potential but a vital part of their cultural fabric under coach JJ Redick. Here was a chance for Goodwin to embody the relentless effort that would embody their creed. Recovering with South Bay, the Lakers’ G League team, Goodwin paid his dues, undeterred by the injury, undaunted by the wait.

And then, on an electrifying February 7th, he inked a two-way contract with the Lakers, a formal acknowledgment of his unyielding drive. Coach JJ Redick’s mission for him was crystal clear: “Be a banshee.”

“A banshee?” Goodwin ruminated, the term a foreign echo from Gaelic lore, representing not just any spirit but a harbinger of what could be—a relentless and dynamic force on the court.

In this high-stakes battle for transformation and opportunity, we watch a player rising from the peripheries, redefining his destiny with sheer willpower. Here’s to the grind, the perseverance, and the never-say-die attitude that defines athletes like Goodwin. It’s a testament to the journeys that shape careers and the silent battles behind every hoop dream. LEARN MORE.Redick might not have been wrestling rebounds away like Goodwin or putting his chest into scorers like Vanderbilt and Finney-Smith, but he was constantly moving, consistently energetic and continually leaning and embracing the little things during the heights of his NBA career. After retiring, he didn’t stop feeding into being a basketball sicko — his words — or a full-on basketball psycho — his and his peers’ words.They have got to be banshees. And the Lakers all know exactly what that means.Luka Doncic, who was in that meeting, remembered thinking that he’d never before heard the word outside of the very TV-MA Cinemax show “Banshee. (“Good show,” Doncic said.) LeBron James had never heard a coach describe players that way and didn’t think much of it.

Luka Doncic, who was in that meeting, remembered thinking that he’d never before heard the word outside of the very TV-MA Cinemax show “Banshee. (“Good show,” Doncic said.) LeBron James had never heard a coach describe players that way and didn’t think much of it.

Luka Doncic, who was in that meeting, remembered thinking that he’d never before heard the word outside of the very TV-MA Cinemax show “Banshee. (“Good show,” Doncic said.) LeBron James had never heard a coach describe players that way and didn’t think much of it.

Luka Doncic, who was in that meeting, remembered thinking that he’d never before heard the word outside of the very TV-MA Cinemax show “Banshee. (“Good show,” Doncic said.) LeBron James had never heard a coach describe players that way and didn’t think much of it.

Luka Doncic, who was in that meeting, remembered thinking that he’d never before heard the word outside of the very TV-MA Cinemax show “Banshee. (“Good show,” Doncic said.) LeBron James had never heard a coach describe players that way and didn’t think much of it.

Luka Doncic, who was in that meeting, remembered thinking that he’d never before heard the word outside of the very TV-MA Cinemax show “Banshee. (“Good show,” Doncic said.) LeBron James had never heard a coach describe players that way and didn’t think much of it.

Luka Doncic, who was in that meeting, remembered thinking that he’d never before heard the word outside of the very TV-MA Cinemax show “Banshee. (“Good show,” Doncic said.) LeBron James had never heard a coach describe players that way and didn’t think much of it.

“We finally embodied the spirit and the demeanor of our head coach. That’s just how he is,” James told The Times. “He’s not about the bull—, about the sugar-coating. He understands. We’ve got to be tough. Like, we might not shoot the ball well every game, we might not do this or do that, whatever the case might be, but we’ve got to be … tough.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIn Gaelic lore, a “banshee” is a female spirit whose scream warns of impending death. In the Halo video games, it’s a combat aircraft. In the “Avatar” universe, it’s a type of mountain dragon. In “Star Wars,” it’s kind of a flying scorpion.AdvertisementJordan Goodwin had done everything right by losing more than 20 pounds, dropping more than 10 percent of body fat, sleeping better, eating right and putting basketball ahead of all the trappings the NBA can offer.