Rich and young, their egos oftentimes fill the room—the area that is not filled with their posse, that is. You root for them, you cheer their success and marvel at their talents, but could you have a dinner conversation with these young multi-millionaires? Would you actually enjoy their company? Taylor Rochestie does not roll with a posse. He does not “bling." The native of made headlines when he led his underdog Washington State Cougars to the Sweet Sixteen, and he made a splash last year with the Los Angeles Lakers summer league team. An All-PAC-10 award winner and big-game standout, Rochestie’s basketball resume is on par with the best young prospects in the world. Yet despite his numerous high-profile successes and growing international experience, Rochestie remains remarkably and undeniably grounded. He shows more poise and confidence on the court than a 10-year NBA veteran, but he bristles with the exuberance of a summer camp teenager. Ask him about his teammates at State, and his eyes light up. Mention his new gig in, and he’s ready with entertaining anecdotes about uproarious fans and Anti-Nazirallies, only hinting at the fact that the team far outperformed expectations this year, and that his contributions were paramount in their cause. And it’s not like his performance has gone unnoticed. Says Gottengen teammate Jason Boone of Rochestie, “I honestly think that he’s one of the toughest players I’ve ever played with. Not in terms of physicality, but mentally, he plays an extraordinary amount of confidence whether we are on the road playing against the first place team or at home against the la...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
