The future appears very bright for the Los Angeles Lakers’ Lonzo Ball. While that may be the case, fans may want to temper expectations after a bumpy start to his rookie season.
I’ll admit I was buying the hype surrounding Lonzo Ball heading into the season just like so many others. Unfortunately, through six games, the Los Angeles Lakers‘ new face of the franchise hasn’t exactly lived up to expectations.
That’s why it’s time we take a step back and temper said expectations.
Now before you post some angry comment about me being a Lonzo hater, let me explain myself. I’m a big fan of the Lakers’ rising star, and am confident that he will eventually reach his potential as a superstar facilitator, scorer and creative playmaker. However, at this moment, there’s too much pressure being heaped onto his 20-year-old shoulders.
The results haven’t been all bad. At this point in the season, Ball is averaging 10.0 points, 7.7 assists and 7.5 rebounds per game. He’s also tied for second on the team with 1.3 steals per game, but leads the team with 3.5 turnovers per game.
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What really stands out on the stat sheet, though, are his miserable shooting numbers.
After Saturday’s disappointing display against the Utah Jazz, Ball owns a 31.1 field goal percentage on the season. That includes 28.1 percent from downtown. To top it off, the rookie is connecting on only 55.6 percent of his free throws. Folks were concerned about his unorthodox shooting style heading into the draft — those concerns appear to have been valid.
Now I don’t want to completely disregard the good things Ball has done this season. He put on quite the display against the Phoenix Suns in his second outing, and did put up double-digit assists in two other games. Apart from that one almost triple-double, though, it’s been an underwhelming start to his NBA career.
Sure, the passing is there. He’s made some terrific dishes through six games, including a couple of those full-court quarterback throws. Too many of them have been forced, though, evidenced by the high turnover numbers.
Even his defense, which often eludes NBA rookies, has been solid. His heads-up play and knack for roaming the passing lanes has helped him shine at times. Then again, there have been some not-so-impressive efforts as well. Evidence of this is below:
John Wall drives passed Lonzo Ball and dunks all over the Lakers pic.twitter.com/AsD4cc53x5
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) October 26, 2017
In the end, it’s the scoring/shooting that really has me concerned.
Ball was drafted to not only be a true facilitator, but the offensive threat who can take over the game when needed. Up to this point, he hasn’t shown that killer instinct. Instead, he’s struggled to put the ball in the net, often forcing difficult shots and getting blocked too often. Some will try to blame that on the tough defense and target on his back, but a star typically clears those hurdles without this much trouble.
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I still have complete confidence that Ball can turn it around during the 2017-18 campaign. The main point I’m trying to make is that fans need to let up on the kid a bit. Even as the No. 2 overall pick, he can’t be expected to turn this franchise around overnight considering his current supporting cast.
I must also reiterate that Ball is only 20 years old and in his first NBA campaign. As great as he was at UCLA, NBA Summer League and during the preseason, the regular season is a whole different beast. He’s now facing off against the world’s best on a nightly basis. Meanwhile, his father is giving his opponents fuel to feed their desire to bring the rookie down a peg.
We all should have known Ball’s intro to the NBA wouldn’t be without its bumps. However, I believe fans as a whole may have expected too much too soon from the young baller. Lighting it up, especially amidst a young, raw roster like the Lakers’, was a tall order.
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Ball will thrive. The Lakers will win more games. It’s not all bad, and it shouldn’t be at any point during the 2017-18 season. At this very moment, though, it may be best to tone it back with what you’re expecting from Lonzo Ball on a game-to-game basis.
That is, unless you enjoy disappointment.