Reporting From ... Lakers-Cavs And Collective Inauguration Buzz

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Lamar wishes his grandma was around today.

Last night at Staples Center, just prior to the final game in an epic 12-contest NBA slate, a man shouted "Obama!" during the national anthem—and he was applauded. Hey, we get it. In less than two hours, Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States and nothing will be the same.

Hours before our nation awoke to inauguration buzz, two locker rooms bubbled over with anticipation. We took some of it in.

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"It's an historical day. To have MLK day be today and the celebration tomorrow, it's a special week. I'm glad we're not playing tomorrow. I get a chance to watch it and be with my family. My kids are obviously too young to understand it, but we're going to document it, save all the clippings, TiVo everything, and when they get older, explain it to them. It's pretty cool." - Kobe Bryant

"Wow. Growing up, I was raised by a woman who was born in 1923 in Albany, Georgia. It's a big day for my family to give thanks for equal opportunity and it's great for the country to see something like this. I just wish she was here to see it." - Lamar Odom

"(Martin Luther King Jr.) is a guy who saw change before change even happened. He saw the future before the future happened. If he was alive today and had an opportunity to see the inauguration tomorrow, man, I think it'll be what he always dreamed about. …It gives me an opportunity to tell my kids the unbelievable story about Obama being the 44th President of the United States. It's unbelievable for kids in the inner city, especially where I grew up, to know there's more than just playing sports" - LeBron James

"When the United States struggles, everybody struggles globally. I think it was needed, something like this. It can only go up from here, right? It's going to be fun. They like Obama all over the world. Where I come from, everybody is excited. I didn't have a vote because I'm not a citizen yet, but this makes me want to be a citizen soon." - Sasha Vujacic

"One era is done. Only good things can happen right now. Where I come from, there's no difference when it comes to skin color. As long as you're a good person, that's really all that matters. I'm happy it happened finally in this country that an African-American became president. I think it's a step forward." - Vladimir Radmanovic

"Years ago, Martin Luther King fought for equality, not just for his race but for everybody. To have this day come, it's been a longtime coming. We're now practicing what he preached and what we're preaching to the other countries of the world. But we're not done yet. We have to rebuild this country, and it's on everybody. I don't expect Barack to come in and save the world. We're all going to have to pitch in and do our parts. But this is a huge step in the right direction. Martin Luther King is up there smiling." - Ben Wallace

"I do think it's important to recognize that this can't represent the vindication or the totality of what has happened in our country in terms of race relations and then kinda go back to the way things were. I think that as a country, we need to continue to push that envelope and move forward in terms of making sure everyone really does have a chance to be successful in our country, to make sure young people get a chance to get the best education regardless of what neighborhood they live in. I don't know if a dream is ever completely realized. I think the great thing about dreams is that they're fleeting, and the moment you think they're real, you wake up. So I think it's going to be important that his presidency is not that wake-up moment." - Derek Fisher

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