Former UCSB Gaucho Gabe Vincent is back in Southern California.
Vincent officially signed a three-year, $33-million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.
“I was overjoyed sharing the news with my family and friends, there’s a lot of excitement around it,” Vincent told the Lakers.
The 27-year-old is coming off a breakout year with the Miami Heat that included an impressive showing throughout the NBA Playoffs, helping his team make a run to the NBA Finals.
After averaging 9.4 points and 2.5 assists in the regular season, the point guard stepped it up when the lights shined the brightest, logging 12.7 points and 3.5 assists per postseason contest while shooting at a higher efficiency from beyond the 3-point arc.
With the Lakers, Vincent will likely be competing with D’Angelo Russell for the starting point guard position, and he could see time as the team’s sixth man.
Gabe Vincent has arrived in LA 🤝
(via @Lakers) pic.twitter.com/9vrxA2f3HO
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 6, 2023
“I’m looking forward to having my mark on this team. I can do a number of things and I showed that in Miami, wearing multiple hats in a year,” Vincent said. “I can impact this team wherever it’s needed. I can step in with any group of other four guys and have an impacting role.”
The last time Vincent was playing in Southern California was in his final year with the Gauchos during the 2017-18 season. In his last season in the Thunderdome, he averaged 12.4 points and 3.3 assists per game to earn a spot on the All-Big West Second Team.
After graduating from UCSB, he signed with the Heat as an undrafted free agent and played four seasons in Miami before his signing with the Lakers.
With the NBA Summer League currently underway for the rookies, sophomores and G-League players of the league, Vincent and the rest of the veteran Lakers will open training camp on Sept. 27.