Lakers News: LeBron, Frank Vogel, Kyle Kuzma Discuss Talen Horton-Tucker

Wesley Matthews didn't know how old Talen Horton-Tucker was until he was asked by Kawhi Leonard during the Los Angeles Lakers' 87-81 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.

But he knows now.

And soon the rest of the NBA will know all about the 20-year old Iowa State standout based on the way he's playing.

The youngest Laker was impressive, finishing with 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals.

"Telling you right now! This kid is flat out SPECIAL! Mark my words," LeBron James tweeted after the game.

James sat out on a healthy scratch along with Marc Gasol, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Markieff Morris and Anthony Davis, so he had a front-row seat to watch Horton-Tucker go to work.

"It was a blessing and a great opportunity getting the start tonight," Horton-Tucker told Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. "I just wanted to come in and fulfill with what they wanted me to do. That was great for me

"I appreciate it. It was a great experience and great opportunity for me to have early on this year. I just appreciated it. I felt good out there."

Kyle Kuzma, who also had a productive night with 18 points and five assists, liked what he saw from his second-year teammate.

"He's gonna be a great player. He's young, but he has a [high] poise and maturity to his game," Kuzma told Spectrum SportsNet's Mike Trudell. "I expect big things in his future."

The Lakers front office must have known early on that Horton-Tucker was a diamond in the rough because they moved into the second round in the summer of 2019 to take him with the No. 46 pick.

To make the deal, they had to give the Orlando Magic a future pick and cash considerations.

The selection seems to be working out for L.A., as Horton-Tucker, who only played one season for the Cyclones, has already become a favorite with the team's front office and coaching staff.

"I would say he continues to impress," Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said, per Woike. He added:

"The young man has a great attitude, a great spirit, comes to work every day with humility, he just goes out there and kicks people's butts, quite frankly. He's a heck of a talent. I'm coaching him harder than the rest of the players on the team, a lot of the veterans, because I think he's got a chance to be really good for us immediately, not just down the road.

"He just has a great instinct for the game. And his skill set is very versatile. I definitely think he's a mature young man. I think he's further along in his ability than we all thought he would be at that age. I feel like we got a heck of a player in the second round last year, so the future's bright for that young man."

Vogel doled out a lot of praise for the youngster but made sure to add in some constructive criticism so that he continues to put in the work and improve on his game.

"He didn't even finish well tonight at the rim," Vogel continued. "He's still getting his legs under him a little bit. But still had 19 and nine, and great performance. Good start."

If Horton-Tucker continues to showcase his passing and slashing ability on the floor, it may be impossible for Vogel to keep him off the court as the season progresses, even during crunch time.

He will get another chance to play the Clippers on Sunday, so if he gets significant minutes again, everyone will be able to see whether the preseason opener was a fluke. One thing's for sure, though, Matthews has his eye on his new teammate and will be able to answer any questions Leonard or any other opponents throw at him in the future.

"Special is definitely the word to describe his game," Matthews said, per Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll. "He's young, but he's got all the tools. He's a dog, he's tough on offense and defense. He's crafty, he's got some stuff to him, and he's only going to get better.

"He's learning from one of the best to ever touch a basketball (LeBron James), and he's just going to continue to grind and continue to work. I'm excited to hopefully be a part of his growth process."

Maurice Bobb covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow Maurice on Twitter, @ReeseReport.