In 2003, ten-year-olds were available for purchase. Juan Toscano – AndersonAttended the Golden State Warriors summer camp at the team’s practice facility above the Oakland Convention Center.
ToscanoAnderson, his three siblings and their parents grew up in East Oakland. They lived in nearly every type of housing. He was a “shy and quiet” child, according to his mother, Patricia, a second-generation Mexican American whose father came to the United States in the 1940s.
However, his attitude changed the moment he set foot on the hardwood. Basketball was his escape. His escape. His true home.
So much so that Patricia, who admitted she “was late all of the time,” made sure she arrived early at Warriors summer camp. She knew how much he appreciated the chance.
“When he was playing basketball, you saw a different Juan,” Patricia Toscano said.
Nineteen years later, Toscano-Anderson doesn’t remember much from that Warriors camp. He recalled the excitement of playing at his favorite team’s practice facility, and said it was the first time he began turning teammates into friends.
Toscano anderson discovered something about his childhood experiences a few weeks back. Phil Handy, who is currently the current coach at the camp, was one of his coaches. Lakers assistant coach who’s also a Bay Area legend.
“I remember the kid very vividly,” Handy told The Athletic “He was really coachable. And I just remember thinking, ‘OK, this young kid is pretty good.’ I just enjoyed coaching him.”
Handy coached Toscano -Anderson in various tournaments and camps while he was at school. This included the Sac vs. Bay Showdown. They reconnected after ToscanoAnderson signed with Warriors in 2019. Toscano-Anderson’s agent, Erika Ruiz of Klutch Sports, trained with Handy while she played college basketball at St. Mary’s.
But Toscano-Anderson’s connection to the Lakers is deeper than just his past with Handy. His two favourite players as a child were Kobe Bryant (his all-time favorite player) and Anderson. LeBron James. He now wears the same jersey as them both.
Toscano -Anderson wanted to be seen in that jersey, so he wore a no. Just days after becoming a free agent, 8 Lakers Bryant jerseys were courtside at the California Classic summer league tournament held at Chase Center.
Toscano-Anderson’s first regular-season NBA game was against Handy, JamesAnd the Lakers in February of 2020. His first postseason game – the 2021 Play-In Tournament – was also against them. And on opening night of the Lakers’ 2022-23 season, Toscano-Anderson received his championship ring from his old team while wearing the jersey of his new one.
“It’s a full-circle moment,” Toscano-Anderson said.
When Toscano-Anderson’s name came up during the Lakers’ internal free-agency meetings, there was a consensus among the group that he’d fit next to James, Anthony Davis and Russell WestbrookHe is a versatile, defensive-minded and flexible wing. Handy was a strong advocate for Toscano–Anderson because he believed he could bring energy and heart to a group that needed it more.
“S—, we have the opportunity to get him?” Handy remembered saying in the meeting. “Hell yeah, let’s not hesitate. I would love to have him here.”
There was just one issue: Handy didn’t think Toscano-Anderson would ever leave the Warriors or the Bay. He was at home with the latter team, while the former was the team that gave him the chance to win.
But once free agency started and the Lakers reached out with the prospect of a larger role, they realized Toscano-Anderson didn’t need to be sold hard.
“I mean, it’s LA,” Toscano-Anderson told The Athletic. “I think that says enough.”
He felt a deeper pull towards his new city and franchise. Toscano-Anderson saw their situation as one he could help turn around, just as he played a part in the Warriors’ re-emergence after the pandemic. Toscano-Anderson has a nonprofit foundation, Journey To Achieve, that he hopes to grow in Los Angeles, all part of his goal to “transcend basketball,” expanding into fashion, modeling and even acting.
“Just playing for the Lakers, that brand, that name is one of the bigger brands names in everything,” Toscano-Anderson said. “It’s like Coca-Cola and Nike and Apple. If you look around the globe, everyone knows who the Lakers really are. So that in itself was very intriguing.”
Handy’s presence, of course, was also a determining factor. Toscano-Anderson knew that he’d have an advocate on the coaching staff.
“I’m like, ‘OK, this is somebody I know,’” Toscano-Anderson said. “‘This is somebody I trust. This is somebody who knows what the f**k he’s talking about. Who can teach me the game at a high level and also somebody who cares about me.’”
Handy and Toscano–Anderson began to work out together at the UCLA Health Training Center every morning after Toscano–Anderson signed with them. The two worked on Toscano-Anderson’s footwork, ballhandling and shooting, preparing for the different ways he’d be used around the Lakers’ stars.
Handy simulations of transitions were done with ToscanoAnderson pushing the ball and running the lanes. They also worked on Toscano-Anderson’s responsibility as a ballhandler and screener in the pick-and-roll. There was also a lot of spot shooting to simulate the looks Toscano will be receiving alongside ball-dominant creators, like James, Davis, and Westbrook.
Handy invited ToscanoAnderson to come to his camp at Thousand Oaks’ Sports Academy to give a workout to the campers.
“Phil Handy is an OG,” Toscano-Anderson said. “Phil Handy is a legend. … I’m a sponge whenever I’m around Phil, so I’m always trying to learn from him. He has many great tips to share with you. So I learned a hell of a lot.”
While Handy helped ease Toscano-Anderson’s transition to Los Angeles, there was a grand gesture that made Toscano-Anderson feel a sense of pride he hadn’t even experienced in the Bay.
There are plenty of Laker murals across Los Angeles, but they are typically reserved for the franchise’s legendary superstars. Kobe Bryant owns more than twenty murals throughout the city. There are several others featuring the likes of Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson and LeBron James.
On Aug. 18, artist Gustavo Zermeño Jr. and streetwear designers Joey Barba and Javier Bandera of Paisa Boys collaborated on a new one, placed on the outdoor wall at Pan Dulce No. 2 in Inglewood (Calif.) It depicts Toscano-Anderson with a Mexican flag draped over his shoulders, with downtown Los Angeles, Mexico City’s Tenochtitlán pyramids and purple mountains behind him.
Toscano anderson attended the unveiling, met fans, signed autographs, and took pictures of himself in front of his likeness.
ToscanoAnderson is the Lakers’ first Mexican-American player in the 62-year history of Los Angeles. In his new home, this is of particular significance. According to Pew Research Center Los Angeles County has the nation’s largest Hispanic population. It also has the largest Spanish-speaking community, according the Los Angeles Almanac.
“I did not expect to get that much love before I played a game,” Toscano-Anderson said. “But it just goes to show you how strong the Latino connection is and how proud they are of their own. In this situation, it’s me, but I think it’s bigger than me. … It was a really dope-ass moment just to see that.”
“Fandom is just different here,” he said later. “It’s hard to explain, man. People are proud to be Laker supporters. But also Latinos and Mexicans, particularly, when I see them out, and I see them at the games, they’re just incredibly proud. There are Mexican flags on the stands. And it’s just the love that I get all the time on a day-to-day basis. It’s very, very present.”
Toscano -Anderson has the potential to be the new favorite player thanks to his heritage and energetic style of play. “I just think the Laker fans, man, they always gravitate to those guys,” Handy said. “Like the Alex Carusos of the world, right? They’re the glue guys. They don’t always score the most points, but they get in the game and they bring energy. They bring joy. They play hard every possession.”
Toscano-Anderson’s approach since arriving with the Lakers hasn’t changed regardless of the setting or if teammates and opponents are taking things lighter. During the Lakers’ summer workouts, Toscano-Anderson set an early tone defensively by picking up players full court, impressing the coaching staff.
“Right off the bat, coaches can really see, ‘OK, we kinda really see what this kid is about,’” Handy said.
Toscano anderson are the only NBA players to take on more challenging defensive duties in practice. As the Lakers’ primary backup forward, Toscano-Anderson toggles between defending James and Davis in practice. It’s a challenge he embraces.
“We need all of that with this team,” Handy said. “And he definitely has a skill set that’s just gonna be beneficial to the guys he’s playing with.”
Toscano–Anderson could play a key role in the Lakers’ lack of wing depth this season. He logged 15 minutes in the Lakers’ season opener against the Warriors after averaging more than 18 minutes across five preseason games. His basketball IQ and self-awareness, two traits that helped him carve out a role in Golden State, should translate well in Los Angeles.
“I think I’m just the guy that Darvin Ham wants on his team,” Toscano-Anderson said. “I think my role is pretty clear.”
When Toscano-Anderson steps on the Crypto.com Arena floor for the first time when the games count this Thursday, he’ll have the jersey of his favorite past player hanging above him in the rafters, his favorite current player as a teammate, an assistant coach he’s known for almost two decades offering instruction from the sideline and thousands of fans celebrating him and their shared heritage.
“The basketball world is pretty small and I just felt like you can’t make things like this,” Toscano-Anderson said. “You can’t create destiny. Destiny will happen. And I think this was one of those destiny moments.”
(Top Photo: Adam Pantozzi/ NBAE via Getty Images
