The congratulatory text messages flooded Jordan Clarkson’s phone. The Lakers’ guard had just landed on the NBA’s all-rookie first team, a bright spot following a sour team season and a fitting end to a journey that started as an unnoticed second-round pick.

Among the well wishers was Clarkson’s personal trainer, Drew Hanlen, who witnessed his client working endlessly to prove his worth in a league that initially doubted him.

But instead of basking in his latest achievement, Clarkson responded with a terse message.

“‘We got to get better this summer,’” Clarkson wrote back to Hanlen. “‘Let’s go.’”

It makes sense why Clarkson felt that way.

The Lakers soon drafted D’Angelo Russell, who will start at point guard and handle most of the ball-handling duties. Kobe Bryant will also return after nursing a right shoulder injury that limited him last season to 35 games.

And Lakers coach Byron Scott and general manager Mitch Kupchak challenged Clarkson to prove he can build on his opening act.

“We like Jordan Clarkson,” Kupchak said. “He was a good player for us this year on a very bad team. So I don’t know how that’s going to play out. But we think he has a future.”

Clarkson made the first step in making Kupchak’s words prophetic, averaging a team-leading 16.8 points in five summer-league games. Clarkson and those around him also argued his accelerated development and promising potential stem from his work behind closed doors. That also could ensure a lucrative deal once Clarkson’s contract expires after the 2015-16 season, one that will pay him the league-minimum $845,059 for a second-year player.

“I’d rather be out here playing than sitting at home on the couch watching these games,” Clarkson said. “I want to build chemistry.”

A meeting of the minds

The conversation seemed pointless.

NBA mock drafts pegged Clarkson as a late first-round pick after averaging 17.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game during his junior season at the University of Missouri. The Lakers had the seventh selection of the 2014 NBA Draft and limited assets to secure a pick that could land Clarkson. Yet, Kupchak and Clarkson still met during the pre-draft combine to address an improbable scenario.

“I just remember Mitch saying, ‘You never know what can happen in the draft,’” Clarkson recalled.

Clarkson laughed as he told the story a year later, aware of the irony surrounding Kupchak’s words. Clarkson said he worked out for most NBA teams representing the draft’s top 25 picks, but that did not include the Lakers.

Yet, the Lakers still paid Washington $1.8 million for the 46th pick to secure Clarkson because of what Kupchak described as his “NBA size, NBA speed and athleticism.”

The gamble worked.

After he sat for 23 of the first 43 games, Clarkson started at point guard amid Bryant’s season-ending injury and inconsistency from Jeremy Lin and Ronnie Price. Clarkson averaged 15.8 points on 45.8 percent shooting, five assists and 4.2 rebounds in 32.1 minutes through 38 starts.

But when Clarkson met with Kupchak and Scott in his exit meeting, the conversation steered from praise toward critiquing. The Lakers instructed Clarkson to address nearly everything, ranging from improving his outside shot, ball-handling and strength. They advised Clarkson to prepare for playing more off-the-ball, defending perimeter players and becoming a vocal leader.

“I don’t want to put limitations on him,” Scott said. “I want him to grow in every area.”

Putting in the work

It appears little will inhibit Clarkson from fulfilling those expectations.

When Clarkson hosted camps this summer in China and the Philippines, he flew Hanlen out on one trip (China) and followed detailed instructions for the other (Philippines) so he could continue training.

Clarkson wanted to reunite with the recently retired Steve Nash just before summer league play started. So Clarkson flew to New York to meet with Nash at his summer residency.

Clarkson has wanted to maximize his offseason regiment, so he took only three weeks off before returning to work May 12. Since then, Clarkson has often completed skill workouts with Lakers assistants Mark Madsen and Larry Lewis, weight-training sessions with strength and conditioning coach Tim DiFrancesco and more skill workouts with Hanlen.

“Some players will do the work, but they think it’s a pain,” DiFrancesco said. “But Jordan really enjoys the process of growing, learning and getting better.”

That has played out in numerous ways.

DiFrancesco said Clarkson has added 10 to 15 pounds in muscle, increasing his weight from 180 to between 190-195 pounds. Clarkson has completed various strength exercises two days a week, including chin-ups, bench presses, squats, dead lifts and band resistance drills, and focuses two other days on leg exercises.

The Lakers believe this will make Clarkson more equipped to defend stronger guards, finish with more efficiency and minimize injury to any tendons.

Meanwhile, Clarkson narrowed his focus with Hanlen on three things nearly every day.

To improve his outside shooting, Clarkson altered his balance by jumping straight up and tweaked his release point by raising his right elbow.

To improve his pick-and-roll execution, Clarkson has dropped his hips and relaxed his chest so that he can move at a more methodical and efficient pace.

To improve his finishing at the rim, Clarkson has varied his attempts with both hands.

“He’s going to be a stud next season,” Hanlen said of Clarkson. “People will realize last year wasn’t a fluke and wasn’t a byproduct of an unsuccessful team. They will realize his success is because he’s a good basketball player.”

Clarkson made many realize that already.

After spending last season taking notes from Bryant and Nash, Clarkson has helped Russell and rookie small forward Anthony Brown learn Scott’s Princeton-based offense and temper their pace. Clarkson also deferred to Russell on ball-handling duties, while shifting focus toward scoring and rebounding (3.3 per game).

“He’s growing and getting better every day,” Russell said. “It’s amazing for me to see him and witness it. He’s vocally incredible with it. I ask him a question and he has a perfect answer.”

The next step

Clarkson also delivered the perfect answer when DiFrancesco asked for his grades in four areas.

Though he considered his weight training and skill development warranted an “A+,” Clarkson gave himself a “D” in sleep and nutrition.

Despite raving about Clarkson’s tireless work ethic, DiFrancesco has advised him to devote more time to recovery. He also noted that Clarkson struggles with avoiding sugary foods. Yet, Clarkson plans to shop for groceries with DiFrancesco following summer league.

“It wasn’t him blatantly going out of his way not to be good in those areas,” DiFrancesco said. “He just hasn’t developed those habits. But he has recognized that.”

Additional hurdles could loom surrounding Clarkson’s 3-point shooting (25 percent), Russell’s development or Bryant’s presence. But Clarkson has vowed to push through, whether it entailed proving the general public wrong about his draft status or refusing to gloat over the first of possibly many NBA accolades.

“My mindset hasn’t changed. I still have the same chip,” Clarkson said. “I’m still a work in progress.”

BREAKOUT

Jordan Clarkson through four summer-league games:

July 17: Utah 84, Lakers 78

31:29, 6-15 FG, 5 reb, 4 asst, 12 pts

July 15: Dallas 88, Lakers 86

30:22, 6-13 FG, 5 reb, 2 asst, 17 pts

July 13: New York 76, Lakers 66

33:57, 3-14 FG, 1 reb, 1 asst, 13 pts

July 11: Lakers 68, Philadelphia 60

33:44, 8-16 FG, 4 reb, 1 asst, 19 pts

July 10: Minnesota 81, Lakers 68

32:28, 8-17 FG, 3 reb, 2 asst, 23 pts