Lakers Unleash 'Junkyard Dog'

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Ronny Turiaf understands that being drafted in the second round offers no guarantees in the NBA.

The Lakers took the gregarious power forward as the 37th overall selection, but all it means now is that they have an interest in him.
But then, there were no guarantees either when Turiaf left his family on the tiny Caribbean island of Martinique as a teenager to embark on a basketball odyssey that carried him to Paris and Spokane, Wash.

So it's no wonder that the 6-foot-10, 249-pound former Gonzaga star is willing to show the Lakers that he'll do the dirty work the team often didn't do last season.

"I know they're going to ask me to play defense, be physical and rebound the ball, block shots and be an energy guy," Turiaf said. "That's what I like. It's what I enjoy doing. My role is to be the junkyard dog."

Turiaf played on the same Paris high school team as San Antonio Spur point guard Tony Parker and was discovered by Gonzaga coaches, who lured him to the Pacific Northwest. At Gonzaga, he became the West Coast Conference player of the year and helped make the Bulldogs a household name in college basketball.

Now he is a rookie, one who will have to battle Brian Cook, Slava Medvedenko and Brian Grant for a roster spot.

"I don't have any pressure on myself," Turiaf said. "I have confidence in my capabilities. I know what I can do and can't do.

"The Lakers drafted me because they had some interest in me. If they want to sign me, I'm more than willing to put my name on the line."

Laker assistant coach Kurt Rambis, who is running the club's entry in the Summer Pro League, says Turiaf has been impressive in workouts this week.

"He has done everything that you expect somebody to bring to the table," Rambis said. "He has size, strength and a tremendous knowledge of the game. He's out there encouraging teammates and he works hard on both ends of the floor.

"He's shown the things needed to make it in this league. I think L.A. is going to love him."</div>

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