Ball-er Status

19 year old Lonzo Ball recently made his NBA debut in the summer league. The California native was drafted 2nd pick overall by the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are a 16-time world champion franchise that has suffered a four-season drought. Lonzo Ball represents hope for a new era in the franchise.

Prior to the summer league, Lonzo wasn’t really on the radar screen for me. Sure I paid attention to the hype derived from his days at UCLA and his family’s media coverage, but once drafted, I wasn’t expecting much. But in what turned out to be an exhibition of his skills on the court, Lonzo averaged 16.3 points, 9.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds. Lonzo was voted the Summer League MVP after leading his team to a victory and the title.

Not yet sold on Lonzo Ball being the great hope to the Lakers franchise? The 6’6 point guard showed poise, the ability to lead and an unselfish nature to his game. Lonzo plays instinctual basketball. He can predict the play and problem solve on a whim. If he needs to, he can take to the rim and finish. But he also excels at passing and creating opportunities for easy dunks and layups. He’s a skilled passer with the ability to keep the tempo high and the team motivated. All of these examples we witnessed this summer are immense assets to a struggling franchise.

Lonzo Ball seems to be the missing piece the Lakers have needed. I think Lonzo has the basketball skills necessary to lead the franchise into a new era of winning. Although the rookie is young, he’s so unfazed by distractions and focused on basketball that it kind of reminds me of a young LeBron James, someone who always gets it done. Lonzo is my pick for a player to watch this season. I think Lonzo Ball will undoubtedly encourage this young Lakers team to find their flow this season and position themselves as legit contenders next season. The new era of the Lakers is something 'Showtime' Laker fans have been waiting for and it might finally be here.