Los Angeles Lakers: Isiah Thomas a big fan of Lonzo Ball

The Los Angeles Lakers selected Lonzo Ball with the second overall pick and he has a fan in Hall of Famer, Isiah Thomas.

The Los Angeles Lakers made UCLA point guard, Lonzo Ball, the second overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft. Say what you want about his father’s outlandish claims, but this was the right pick for the Lakers to make.

Ball has the star potential that the Lakers are looking for. He has the point guard skills that should translate to him being an excellent leader on the court for the Lakers. His court vision is excellent, and his passing skills are elite. At 6-feet-5 inches tall, Ball will be a difficult player to stop in the open court and

At 6-feet-5 inches tall, Ball will be a difficult player to stop in the open court and half court given his athleticism. He likes to get his teammates involved and the Lakers should immediately improve with a leader and floor general.

Like any young player, there are some concerns surrounding Ball. Will his unorthodox shot release work in the NBA? Ball was a good shooter, with deep range beyond the three-point line, in college; but will he be able to get his shot against bigger, longer opponents? His father, LaVar, will always loom as a potential detriment, but as long as Lonzo performs on the court what his father says off the court shouldn’t impact him too much.

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There have been some differing opinions about Ball throughout the pre-draft process. Players as young as 18 are put under the microscope and dissected by scouts and NBA teams. It is not an easy process, and Ball was heavily scrutinized during it.

Despite their reservations, the Lakers went with the smart pick and took Ball second. He will be a wonderful addition to their roster. While there are people that aren’t a fan of his, he has a big fan in Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas.

Thomas was one of the greatest point guards in the history of the NBA. He was able to dominate games despite his smaller stature; imagine what he could have done if he stood 6-feet-5 inches tall like Ball does.

Thomas recently spent a day with Ball leading up to the 2017 NBA Draft. Thomas came away very impressed with Ball’s disposition more than any skills he showcases on the court.

"“This is a real basketball player,” Thomas told ESPN.com. “He’s a pass-first, shoot-second guy, but he can shoot. He’s not a pass-first-because-I-can’t-shoot guy. I’m not saying he’s going to dominate the NBA, but he’s definitely going to help your team win a lot of games.”"

Ball is definitely a pass-first point guard. He is an excellent distributor and likes getting his teammates involved. He averaged 7.6 assists per game in his lone season at UCLA, which led the nation and was the third highest total ever for a freshman.

One of the men responsible for Ball landing in Los Angeles was Magic Johnson. Thomas has plenty of experience going against Johnson and was asked how Ball compares to Johnson, arguably the greatest point guard in the history of the NBA.

"“I will say Lonzo has Magic’s brain,” Thomas said. “As a student of the game and knowing how to get his teammates involved and understanding how to motivate his teammates to get the best out of them, Lonzo did that in high school and college, and I don’t see that changing now. When you get people who are willing to help you look better and want the best for you and not necessarily what’s best for themselves, that’s what building a team is all about. And I’ve never heard selfishness mentioned in the same sentence with Lonzo Ball.“He’ll be a superstar, but with him, the criteria for superstar — that box will have to be altered a bit. If your criteria for a superstar is you’ve got to score 30 and be Kevin Durant or LeBron James, those are rare people we won’t see for another 30 years in our league. But I believe Ball will be a superstar in his own way.”"

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That is some high praise for a player who is only one season removed from high school. But, Ball is supremely talented and has a chance to become a star for the Lakers. The Lakers are in a great position with their point guard of the future now in place.

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