I think the Lakers will repeat as champsions this year.
Who do you think is their biggest threat for that? I hope they get good competition. I've always been fascinated by their rivalry with the Celtics.
I think their biggest threat this year are the Los Angeles Clippers. They have a pretty deep roster. I agree about the Celtics rivalry, it is legendary and historic.
They've gotten flak for their mindset when it comes to their team culture and what they value in a team--some saying they're too aggressive or have a "tough guy" culture, but it seems to really work. How do you like the Laker's team culture?
I think this Lakers team culture started when Lebron James joined the team. He set the tone early because he is a superstar, and they are built differently mentally. This year that group hasn't been as strong but as soon as the playoffs start I am sure the switch will turn back on and they will be on top of their game.
Do you like Lebron's status within the team, or do you think that he overshadows the other players too much, with both his prowess and his status as an outspoken icon?
I think he does what a leader has to do that is speak up on things most others do not speak out about. Sometimes he speaks about things he has no business talking about that are outside of his element. That is to be expected from a leader though. 
I really respect that he speaks out on social issues and equality, even if it gets him into hot water. You say that you love to practice dunking--who's your biggest inspiration when it comes to that?
I really think someone like Nate Robinson being a shorter guy and being able to dunk like the best of them is someone that is qutie inspiring as a dunker.
Oh, for sure. He's an inspiration to us shorter guys, haha. Crazy that he gets over three feet in a jump--just over 43 inches. But it must be a result of his training.