Lakers
UCLA Health is the official health care partner for the Los Angeles Lakers. The alliance between UCLA and the Lakers expands community-outreach efforts.
Our Partnership
The alliance between UCLA Health and the Lakers expands community outreach efforts, including support for youth organizations and the development of health and fitness programs that have an impact on lifelong wellness. The partnership also increases education and research in injury prevention and sports performance. As part of this joint effort, UCLA Health serves as the exclusive in-game health provider for the Lakers and holds the naming rights for the team’s training facility and offices in El Segundo.
The UCLA Health Training Center, which opened in the summer of 2017, is a symbol of this shared commitment to improving the health of our community, the importance of fitness and teamwork and the belief that sports have the power to unite people and communities. Its state-of-the-art design was built to reduce electricity consumption by 34% compared to the national LEED baseline.
Camp Lakers
Camp Lakers, presented by UCLA Health, is committed to providing young players with the ultimate Lakers experience at the new UCLA Health Training Center: Home of the Los Angeles Lakers. Throughout the week, campers learn the Laker way by honing their basketball skills and learning the importance of hard work, teamwork, commitment and sportsmanship, on and off the court. Each day a special Laker guest and staff stop by to speak with the campers.
UCLA Health offers scholarships to the camp and provides campers with educational health tips as well as fun giveaways. This is a once-and-a-lifetime opportunity to play where the Lakers play, step inside the Lakers practice locker room, see the championship trophies and shoot around with the Lakers!
Sleep Tips from Lakers Trainer: Marco Nunez
Sleep is as important as training for athletes of all ages and skill levels in order to achieve your full potential. Whether you are an NBA player or an up-and-coming hoopster, there are a few things to keep in mind about sleep.
- Rest helps the body heal and re-energize
- Maintaining a consistent sleep cycle is important
- Sleep helps you think clearly and make good decisions
Harlow & Pierre: Laker Dogs For A Day
Laker For A Day
The Laker For A Day program recognizes UCLA Health patients who face serious illnesses with courage, strength and determination. Laker For A Day participants, selected by UCLA Health, receive a behind-the-scenes experience of a Lakers game at Staples Center and on-court recognition that provides a heartwarming moment.
Lakers Team Doctors
Kristofer J. Jones, MD
Head Team Physician and Director of Orthopaedic Surgery
As a former intercollegiate athlete, Dr. Jones understands the unique demands and concerns faced by athletes at all levels of participation (from professional to recreational) and his goal is to return patients back to their regular activities using evidence-based medicine to guide his treatment plan. He obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago, where he was a four-year letter winner and All-Conference tailback for the varsity football team. He was awarded the Howell-Murray Alumni Medal upon graduation. He received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania where he received the Jonathan Rhoads Prize for Surgical Scholarship. Dr. Jones completed his orthopaedic residency training at the prestigious Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City, frequently recognized as the #1 Hospital for Orthopaedic Surgery by US News & World Report. He subsequently completed a traveling fellowship and acquired further expertise in shoulder and cartilage surgery at specialized centers across Europe, including Lyon & Paris France. Dr. Jones returned to HSS to complete another fellowship in Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery. During this time, he served as assistant team physician for the Brooklyn Nets (NBA), New York Red Bulls (MLS), and Iona College Athletics as well as an orthopaedic consultant to the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and US Open Tennis Tournament. He is currently a Team Physician for the UCLA Bruins and the Head Team Physician for the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA).
Daniel Vigil, MD
Associate Head Team Physician and Director of Primary Care
Dr. Vigil is a member of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine and the American College of Sports Medicine. Dr. Vigil is a member of the Sports Medicine Board Certification test writing committee for the American Board of Family Medicine.
Dr. Vigil's sports medicine practice at UCLA includes patients of all ages for the evaluation of sports-related injuries and medical problems. He also practices family medicine, providing care for patients with a wide variety of medical problems, as well as supervising medical students, residents and fellows.
Ray Padilla, DDS
Team Dentist
Member of the American Dental Association California Dental Association, Dr. Padilla is on faculty at the UCLA School of Dentistry, His involvement in Sports Dentistry includes the 1984 Olympic Games, 1994, 1999, and 2003 World Cup Soccer, 2004 IIHF World Hockey Championships in Prague, and 2015 Los Angeles Special Olympics World Games. He is the Team Dentist for the NBA Los Angeles Lakers, MLS Los Angeles Galaxy and UCLA Athletics. An international lecturer on cosmetic trauma treatment and injury prevention, he has lectured in Australia, Switzerland, Japan, Germany, Greece, Canada, Spain, Mexico, United Arab Emirates and numerous USA venues.