There’s a lot of hype around Lonzo Ball as we near the NBA Draft. And amazingly, some of it is actually about how good he is at basketball!
Who is Lonzo Ball?
You’ve no doubt heard of Lonzo Ball. The 19-year-old point guard finished his solo season at UCLA with an impressive performance in a loss to Kentucky in the Sweet 16.
Lonzo Ball has spent the past year loading box scores and revitalizing UCLA basketball. In his freshman season, Ball averaged 14.6 points, 7.6 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game. In addition, Ball racked up 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. Not bad for a skinny point guard.
There are many interesting questions and storylines to follow up to the draft. Questions remain about whether Ball or Washington point guard Markelle Fultz is the best available point guard in the draft. Or whether or not he would be able to thrive in a smaller market.
Unfortunately for Ball, much of the talk about him centers around his father, LaVar, who has made a new living as some sort of over-the-top spokesman for his son Lonzo, as well as the rest of his kids.
The Ball family isn’t going away anytime soon, so I don’t know what to tell you.
In the meantime, let’s take a closer look at Lonzo’s game.
Strengths
Lonzo Ball is one of the most intriguing and polarizing prospects available in a quickly-evolving NBA. He has size, smarts, and skills. The 6’6″ point guard spent the past year on the college stage showcasing what a triple-double threat point guard looks like.
Simply put, Lonzo Ball is a joy to watch. And that isn’t an understatement. He brought NBA-level court vision to UCLA this year, constantly setting the table for his teammates.
Passing is Ball’s premier skill, and watching him this past season, he didn’t look like a college player. UCLA didn’t look like a college offense. I’m not giving credit to coach Steve Alford or Ball’s supporting cast; the success and sheer enjoyment of UCLA this season can be credited almost entirely to Lonzo Ball.
The way in which Ball approaches the game just looks different to most other college players — flashy, yet controlled. He moves with confidence and intelligence, unlike most frantic and one-dimensional college guards.
In addition to setting his teammates up, Ball can also shoot from deep, and his length allows him to be a pest on the boards and in passing lanes.
Overall, Ball is an impressive talent who already looks to have the kind of polish needed for him to be ready to graduate to the NBA.
Weaknesses
Some will argue whether or not having your dad argue with Stephen A. Smith on First Take is a good thing. We’ll have to see how that ends up playing out.
Joking aside, having a father who spends his day looking for microphones to talk into about how his son is better than Steph Curry, or about wanting a $1 billion shoe contract for the family, is a red flag. At least, I think it is. Time will tell.
But if a team like the Orlando Magic are on the board, there will undoubtedly be questions regarding how long until Lonzo Ball will try to escape to Los Angeles too.
In regards to on the court, there are some things – one in particular – that stand out. Of course I’m talking about his “unique” shooting form.
You can make a good argument that shooting 55.1 percent from the field (41.2 percent from behind the three-point line) should silence any haters trying to change the young prospect’s form. The problem, however, is that his long and odd wind-up limits his ability to be more effective putting the ball in the basket.
In catch-and-shoot situations, Ball is a great scorer. The extra second or so he takes to set up his shot, however, effects his offensive ceiling; because of his awkward and timely form, he has difficulty shooting off the dribble while being closely-blanketed by a defender.
Now imagine Ball trying to manufacture a shot with an NBA-level defender on top on top of him. NBA coaches are smart and will no doubt structure their defense on him accordingly.
In addition to that, Ball will need to add some muscle. He was able to make up for his lack of weight and strength due to his height while at UCLA, but it’s unlikely a lanky 6-foot-6 guard won’t run into a few problems against NBA competition.
What The Experts Say
(As of 4/12/17)
Draft Express (Jonathan Givony): 2nd
ESPN (Chad Ford): 2nd
CBS (Howard Megdal): 3rd
Sporting News (Sam Vecenie): 4th
The Step Back (Trevor Magnotti and Chris Stone): 3rd
Quotes:
Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer shares similar concerns about Lonzo Ball’s shooting form and his ability to score at the next level.
"“Ball has no issues passing, but the scoring is a question mark. While Nash or Paul can jack up a shot at will, it’s not quite as easy for Ball.”"
Christopher Kline of 16 Wins a Ring agrees Lonzo Ball is a unique talent at point guard that has the ability to translate perfectly to the NBA.
"“While at UCLA, Ball has revolutionized the entire offensive spectacle that is the Bruins’ systematic destruction of teams on that side of the ball. They’re a lackluster defensive team, but move the ball with such a glorious pace that it almost doesn’t matter. Teams can’t keep up with a Lonzo-led fastbreak, and his combination of cross-court slingshots and abnormally tough entry passes almost always end in an open man found via a mesmerizing assist.”"
Lonzo’s dad LaVar – who famously averaged 2.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game at Washington State during the 1987-88 season – compares him favorably to Steph Curry.
"“I’m going to tell you right now, he’s better than Stephen Curry to me. Put Steph Curry on UCLA’s team right now and put my boy on Golden State and watch what happens”"
That’s a pretty impressive thing to hear from a man who could beat Michael Jordan one-on-one.
Fit With The Bucks
Many will argue Lonzo Ball and Bucks’ head coach Jason Kidd are a match made in heaven. Watching Ball play, you no doubt see flashes of Jason Kidd. He’s bigger than most point guards, he’s a playmaker for his teammates, and he can score with anybody, making him a triple-double threat nightly.
However, Bucks fans shouldn’t forget how great of a fit Michael Carter-Williams hypothetically would be with Kidd at the helm. That one turned out well, no?
In all seriousness, though, Lonzo Ball would be a dream fit on the point-guard-deprived Bucks roster. His court vision and passing ability would fit in nicely amongst guys like Giannis and Khris Middleton.
Imagine having Lonzo Ball control the floor with tempo instead of Matthew Dellavedova. I can almost see the endless alley-oops to Giannis now.
And if the Bucks were to pick him up, he can keep his stupid shooting form for all I care. The Bucks don’t “need” scoring-first point guards, and his ability to crash the boards in addition to his highlight reel passes are pretty great to think about.
Next: NBA Draft 2017 Prospect Watch: Bam Adebayo
None of this changes the fact that Ball will be drafted long before Milwaukee are on the board, though. So, if Ball is to end up as a Buck, we’ll need to see a blockbuster trade.