Los Angeles Lakers: Gary Payton names Lonzo Ball a top defensive guard

Los Angeles Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball has been very good defensively. Recently, Gary Payton listed him as one of the best defensive guards in the league.

The Los Angeles Lakers have a special rookie point guard in Lonzo Ball. Coming out of UCLA, the thought was that Ball would be a very good all-around point guard. Many compared Ball to Jason Kidd because of his passing abilities.

As a rookie, Ball has helped the Lakers in multiple ways, but one of the most surprising might be on the defensive end. Coming out of college, Lonzo wasn’t regarded as a great defensive player, however, he has certainly played well on that end of the court.

Due to his size at the position, Lonzo appeared like he would be able to become a good defensive player. However, it looks like he is well on his way toward being one of the top defensive guards in the league.

Recently, Gary Payton named his top five defensive guards in the league. As arguably the best defensive point guard in the history of the NBA, being on the Glove’s list is certainly an honor. To the surprise of many, Lonzo was named on the list along with Chris Paul, Marcus Smart, Rajon Rondo, and Patrick Beverly.

In his rookie season, Lonzo is averaging 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks per game, which is pretty impressive. Generally, the transition defensively to the NBA gets overlooked by many, but it can be equally as challenging for a player.

Ball’s size gives the Lakers a lot of defensive flexibility for switching on that end of the court. As the league moves more toward positionless basketball, being able to switch on defense is key.

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While there have been some ups and downs for Lonzo as a rookie, the future is very bright for the young guard. Even though there have certainly been some shooting issues for Ball this season, he has the potential to be a great two-way guard for years to come.