Los Angeles Lakers: David Griffin thinks Lonzo Ball will be a very good player

After a strong rookie season for the Los Angeles Lakers, a former NBA general manager believes that Lonzo Ball will be a very good player.

The Los Angeles Lakers took what many thought was a risk when they selected Lonzo Ball with the second overall pick. After a great freshman UCLA, the Lakers took Ball with the second overall despite some concerns.

In his rookie season, Ball was able to play quite well despite missing a lot of time with injuries. On the defensive end, Ball exceeded expectations, as he performed like one of the best defensive guards in the league. With his size, Ball figured to be able to become a good defender, but he was right away out of college.

On offense, Ball did a very good job as a point guard setting the pace and getting his teammates easy baskets. However, the shooting woes for Ball were well-documented throughout the season. Due to his struggles shooting, many quickly labeled Ball a bust and that he wouldn’t be a good player in the NBA. Considering that he is a rookie, these judgments were rather premature.

Recently,  former Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin talked about what type of player Ball would become. Here’s what he said to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

"“Ball will end up being a very good player in this league.”"

In his rookie season, Ball averaged 10.2 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.9 rebounds per game. While his shooting percentages weren’t good this season, the ability to fill up that stat sheet as a rookie point guard was very impressive.

Next: Ranking 10 greatest draft picks in Lakers history

Seeing Griffin say that Ball will be a great player in the NBA is certainly nice praise coming from the former general manager. While Ball does have some work to do to become a great player, his rookie season is encouraging that he can become one. Hopefully, Ball will be able to stay healthier in his second season and take another step forward in his development.