The Los Angeles Lakers did what many expected in the 2017 NBA Draft with the second overall pick. Now, the pressure is on.
As many expected, the Los Angeles Lakers took Lonzo Ball with the second overall pick. After trading D’Angelo Russell, it became pretty clear the Lakers were going to be taking Ball to be the new starting point guard in Los Angeles.
In college, Ball was a leader for UCLA as a freshman. As a true court general, he was able to help turn around the program with a great season. While many were impressed with his passing abilities, Ball is also a much better shooter than he his given credit for. Despite having a strange looking shot, it works for Ball very well.
Now, Ball will be focused on bringing the Lakers back to the promise land. As the second overall pick, Ball will have a lot of expectations in his rookie season. With his dad, LaVar Ball, as his hype man, there will be a target on Ball’s back.
In his recent introductory press conference, Magic Johnson said the Ball will be the new face of the franchise. This certainly puts, even more, pressure on Ball to succeed right away.
Lakers fans won’t have to wait long to see Ball play, as he will be part of a good looking Summer League squad for the Lakers. With a lot of young talent surrounding him, Ball will be able to help those players grow.
As a pretty quiet person, Ball doesn’t ever seem to be phased by the talk surrounding him. However, there will be a lot more pressure on him now that he is a top pick on the Lakers. Ball doesn’t seem to be a player that is afraid of the big stage and that is very important.
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As the starting point guard for the Lakers, he will be on one of the biggest stages in the NBA. Since Kobe Bryant retired a few years ago, the Lakers have been looking for the new face of the franchise to replace him. After selecting Ball, they hope they have found him.