One thing we know to be true about Lonzo ‘ZO’ Ball is that he is unpredictable when it comes to basketball and you must wonder if it’s just him adjusting to the league.
Being a rookie is difficult in general, but when you have your father hyping you up even more to promote his own Big Baller Brand, it becomes too much to take in as a 19-year old. We put a lot of criticism on him because of his background. What people don’t realize is that his demeanor is something that should be taken into consideration.
Lakers Head Coach Luke Walton had a few words to say regarding the rookie. “I’m not calling him Kobe, but Kobe was the same way,” Walton said, per the Los Angeles Time. “As a teammate, I knew not even to touch Kobe in those moments because Kobe was locked in. … In those moments, the players that don’t let the pressure get to them, they stay calm.” (NBA.com) The comparison is bit too soon right now, but he has the poise like Kobe and the play style like Magic Johnson. Now we can understand why Johnson was set on Zo come draft day.
Despite all the hype being placed on him, Ball looks to get his teammates involved first. Something that many players don’t look to do. He feeds off his teammates and proceeds to make an impact in every way possible.
The Lakers haven’t had something to be excited for in a long time and Ball will be the Lakers’ next franchise player. In just a few short days, Ball has had a rough start to his rookie year campaign when got into a scuffle with guard Patrick Beverley who limited him to just 3 points on 1-6 shooting playing 29 minutes. Besides that, he’s been on a tear since putting up triple-double type numbers. Don’t be too quick to criticize the young playmaker, just sit back and watch his game develop.
With every rookie, there is hype (With Zo there’s a bit more) and the season is 82 games long. Wait till Lonzo gets adjusted and comfortable with the Laker’s system. Ball could be a potential All-Star this season.
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