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Rob Pelinka ‘agrees to contract extension with Lakers until 2026’ as Kobe Bryant’s former agent extends Los Angeles stay after hiring Darvin Ham as new coach
- Rob Pelinka has been with the organization since 2017 after a career as an agent
- He was the agent of Kobe Bryant, James Harden and other stars
- Pelinka Oversaw LeBron James and Anthony Davis Acquisitions in LA
- And now he will stay in LA as VP of basketball operations until 2026
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Rob Pelinka has reportedly agreed to an extension with the Lakers as the team’s vice president of basketball operations, with the director now with the franchise until 2026.
Pelinka, who was known as Kobe Bryant’s agent before joining the Lakers, became the team’s general manager in 2017 before being promoted to his current position three years later.
The news of the contract extension was first reported by Yahoo! Sport.
Rob Pelinka has extended his stay with the Lakers organization until 2026
DailyMail.com has contacted the Lakers for confirmation.
Pelinka has had a decent career in basketball, playing in high school in Illinois before playing in Michigan (on reserve) on their “Fab Five” teams.
He would later become an agent rather than pursue a professional career in Europe, going on to represent Bryant, James Harden and other stars.
Pelinka developed a close relationship with Bryant, calling him his “best friend” after his death in 2020.
Pelinka was extremely close to Kobe Bryant and posed for a photo with his family at a retirement ceremony (above).
He was also the godfather to Bryant’s late daughter Gianna, who was with her father (and seven others) when the helicopter they were on tragically crashed into.
Pelinka certainly made an impression as a Lakers executive.
The team signed LeBron James in free agency about 17 months after he joined as GM, making a blockbuster hit for Anthony Davis the following summer in 2019.
Pelinka (right) played basketball in Michigan before embarking on a career in sports management
Davis and James led the Lakers to a title in the 2019-20 season.
More recently, the team brought back point guard Dennis Schroeder for a second stint and traded it for defensive stopper Patrick Beverley.
Pelinka also oversaw the hiring of the team’s new head coach, Darvin Ham, whose contract expires at the same time as Pelinka’s recently extended contract.