Thunder NBA Draft prospect series: Lonzo Ball

March 17, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Lonzo Ball (2) during the first half in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament against the Kent State Golden Flashes at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

In the deepest point guard rich field in years Lonzo Ball appears to be a lock to land in Los Angeles. Although well out of reach of Sam Presti ,TI examines the UCLA product with a view to how his draft could affect the Thunder.

A consensus second round pick across all pundits lists Lonzo Ball looks like a lock to land with the Lakers. The fact Ball refused to work out for Danny Ainge’s Boston Celtics confirms his intent (and his fathers) to land in Los Angeles. Giving up the opportunity to be drafted first overall seems to also speak to his desire to stay close to home. And, the obvious desire to market himself in the larger LA market.

The big question is how Magic Johnson intends to deal with LaVar Ball who seemingly cares less about anything other than making money for the Big Baller Brand.

With Kobe Bryant’s retirement and a young nucleus in LA, the goal is to find super star to fill the Mamba’s sneakers. Long a franchise rich with the tradition of winning championship Lonzo Ball may well fill the void D’Angelo Russell appears unable to.

Specifics

Height: 6’6″

Weight: 190 Ibs

Wingspan: 6’7″

Position: Point Guard

Age: 19 years, 6 months

Statline: 14.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.6 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.8 blocks

College: UCLA (freshman)

Home Town: Anaheim, California, USA

Current rankings:

(note – rankings are taken on day of article posting and therefore may be listed at a similar rank as previously posted prospect reviews)

DraftExpress: 2nd overall prospect

NBA DraftNet: 2nd

Scott Howard-Cooper nba.com: 2nd

The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor: 2nd

CBS Sports: 2nd

Basketball Insiders: 2nd

Sean Deveney of Sporting News: 2nd

Hoops Hype: 2nd

Jeremy Woo SI.com, The Crossover: 2nd

Skills:

A pass first point guard, who excels in transition. Ball fits what Luke Walton wants to do in LA far better than D’Angelo Russell. Still, there is potential for Walton to experiment with two point guards on the court with Russell being more of a shoot first player.

At 6’7″ Ball has the benefit of seeing the floor better than his shorter counterparts and his high basketball I.Q. only serves to punctuate this asset. Both Fultz and Ball have been credited with their ability to play beyond their years.

Via DraftExpress:

"When discussing the Lonzo Ball experience, it would be impossible not to start with his elite transition play. Ball his virtually the entire package in this regard, from his ability to force turnovers and grab defensive boards to ignite the break, the breakneck speed he operates at with the ball in his hands, his elite creativity and passing accuracy, and even right down to his knowledge of when to push the ball himself and when to give it up to his teammates. The ball doesn’t stick, his decision making is quick, and his creativity and vision are nothing short of elite. – Source: ©DraftExpress"

Weaknesses:

Defense tops the list of areas Ball fails to check the box. For a Lakers team who wallowed in the basement this is concerning.

The number one area rookies cite as the most difficult in transitioning to the pros is the speed of the game. Ironically, Lonzo Ball is at his best with a quick pace and his weakness appears running the offense in the half court at a slower pace. And, while Ball’s shot mechanics are strange, he’s able to shoot efficiently, especially when he creates space. At the pro level teams will look to take away his space which could prove to take time for Ball to adjust.

Although it’s an off court issue, there is no denying LaVar Ball could become a major problem with his meddling and interference. That said, if there was an existing management head who is equipped to handle Father Ball, it’s likely Magic Johnson. The former Lakers super star combines charm, talent and business sense.

Honors and awards:

Consensus first team All-America NCAA Team – 2017
First team All-Pac 12 – 2017
USBWA National Freshman of Year, for males named – Wayman Tisdale Award -2017
Pac 12 Freshman of Year – 2017
McDonald’s All-American participant – 2016

Pro Comparison:

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer provided a ceiling comparison for each of his prospects. O’Connor’s list for Lonzo Ball include Penny Hardaway, Jason Kidd and Shaun Livingston with a jumper.

Magic Johnson himself compared Ball to him and like O’Connor many others have noted Ball may have a ceiling of Jason Kidd.

The fit:

Like Markelle Fultz, there is zero chance the OKC Thunder and Sam Presti get a shot at Lonzo Ball. Although the Thunder need to find a solid playmaker for their reserve unit, it won’t be worth Sam Presti giving up assets or draft picks to land Ball. Even if the Lakers were willing to part with some of their other assets to make room for Ball (like D’Angelo Russell or Jordan Clarkson) none are truly fit the mold of the Thunder’s defensive identity. Nor does giving up assets to gain one of the Lakers scorer make sense.

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