Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball weighs close to 200 pounds now according to his father, LaVar Ball.
Back on the night of the NBA Draft Lottery, lady luck was on the Los Angeles Lakers side. Against poor odds, the Lakers ended up landing the No. 2 spot in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Not only did that put them in position to draft a stud prospect, it enabled them to keep their pick this year and in 2019; had they landed outside the top-three this year’s pick would have gone to the Philadelphia 76ers and 2019 pick would have gone to the Orlando Magic.
As a result of the lottery, the Lakers had UCLA star point guard, Lonzo Ball, fall into their laps. Ball is the new face of the franchise for the Lakers, someone that possesses star power that Magic Johnson craved for his new point guard.
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The first time we saw Ball in action he lived up to the hype. During the 2017 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Ball was dominant. He took home MVP honors despite missing two of the games. He dazzled in Las Vegas, averaging 16.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.0 steals. He was by far the most impressive performer, recording two triple-doubles as well.
Ball struggled with his shot at times in Las Vegas, but his passing skills were on full display. One way for Ball to improve his shot is to bulk up. It would enable him to finish better around the basket where players will be contesting ferociously near the rim.
According to his father, LaVar Ball, that is exactly what he has done. Ball was listed at 6-feet-6 inches and 190 pounds while at UCLA. LaVar says that Lonzo has added some weight, as he is getting bigger and stronger as he gets older.
LaVar shared the update on Lonzo during an interview with ESPN Los Angeles.
"Yes, he’s always going to gain weight, he’s only 19-years-old. He’s close to 200 pounds right now. He’s going to grow into a man he’s gonna get that Ball weight later."
If Lonzo is close to 200 pounds, it means that he has gained about 10 pounds this offseason. Some Lakers fans will be wary of that, as they saw Ben Simmons add weight last offseason going into his rookie year with the 76ers and he missed the whole season.
Adding weight isn’t a negative thing for Ball as long as he is staying in shape. The added weight will help him hold up against the competition in the NBA. It is also encouraging as Ball was picked apart during the pre-draft process, as some reported he was out of shape and overweight.
Next: 3 Goals For Lonzo Ball's Rookie Season
Ball is hoping to flip that script heading into his first training camp. The Lakers are about a month away from kicking things off and you know that Ball will want to make a good first impression with his NBA teammates.