Lakers work out prospects

Jaylen Brown says his shooting is better while Skal Labissiere touts his versatility.

Jaylen Brown and Skal Labissiere show off their skills ahead of NBA draft.

When a player shoots 43.1% from the field and just 29.4% from three-point range and plays the wing position in college, NBA scouts typically question the prospect’s shooting ability.

So it has been for California freshman guard/forward Jaylen Brown.

He’s out to prove that his broken jumper is now fixed and ready for the professional ranks. The 6-foot-6 Brown got a chance to display how much his shooting has improved during a workout for the Lakers on Friday.

“I think the biggest knock on me is if I can shoot the ball,” Brown said. “And I’ve been shooting the ball pretty well in these workouts .... And to shoot it the way I do now, it’s a significant growth.”

In addition to the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA draft on June 23, the Lakers also have the second pick in the second round (No. 32 overall) and they are scouting players for those spots.

After Brown finished his one-on-one workout against the Lakers’ assistant coaches, Kentucky forward/center Skal Labissiere took the court. Labissiere is listed as 610, 216 pounds so his weight might be an issue. Most scouts see Labissiere as a player who can run the floor and play multiple positions, which is expected to make him a lottery pick.

“I think I’ll be a four [power forward] because of my versatility, both on offense and defense,” said Labissiere, who averaged 6.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in his only season at Kentucky. “I can shoot the basketball, score inside, run the floor really well, block shots, guard small defenders.”

Brown had to expand his range while trying to develop his long-range shooting. In college, the three-point line is 20.75 feet out. In the NBA, the three-point line is 23.75 feet, 22 feet from the corners.

Brown, 19, said he “grew up a Lakers fan watching Kobe Bryant.” He has tried to model his workouts after the retired star, even waking up at 5 a.m. to start his sessions.

“A lot of people want to get to a level of a Kobe Bryant, but nobody wants to put in the work but he did,” Brown said. “I’m willing to make the sacrifices and I’m willing to put in the work. So we’ll see where it takes me.”

The Lakers plan to work out Oklahoma’s sensational shooting guard Buddy Hield a week from Saturday. The Lakers also saw Hield in a private workout about two weeks ago.