Los Angeles Lakers: 5 goals for Lonzo Ball’s rookie season
By Evan Massey
What five goals should be set for Los Angeles Lakers’ rookie point guard Lonzo Ball’s rookie season after being selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft?
Lonzo Ball was the most hyped-up prospect throughout the 2017 NBA Draft process, with many predicting from the beginning that the Los Angeles Lakers would draft him with the No. 2 overall pick.
Well, that is exactly what happened on draft night. Magic Johnson and the Lakers selected Ball at No. 2 and he has already taken over as the face of the franchise. A lot of pressure is on Ball’s shoulders looking into the future, but he is ready to live up to that pressure and turn the Lakers back into a playoff contender.
Last season with the UCLA Bruins, Ball took the nation by storm. He showed off his flashy passing skills to go along with a deadly jump shot and the ability and athleticism to get to the rim with ease. Ball wound up averaging 14.6 points per game to go along with 7.6 assists and 6.0 rebounds.
Ball stands in at 6’6″, which will force mismatches with opposing NBA point guards. He shot a sizzling 55.1 percent from the field overall last season at UCLA and knocked down 41.2 percent of his three-point attempts. That kind of scoring potential doesn’t come around very often, which is why Johnson and the Lakers could not afford to pass on him.
Looking into the future, the Lakers strongly believe that they will get back into contention within the next couple seasons. Paul George has been rumored to be likely to sign with L.A. next offseason, which would speed up the rebuilding process that the Lakers are currently in. That being said, having a new point guard who is being compared to Jason Kidd will help as well.
What five goals should be set for Lonzo Ball’s rookie season?