The Los Angeles Lakers hosted Lonzo Ball for a two-day visit last week, and one report claimed they were not overly impressed with the former UCLA star. We now have a better idea of what the issue may have been.
According to Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News, the Lakers were happy with most of what they saw from Ball in terms of basketball ability and leadership potential. However, Ball was apparently not in great shape. Here’s more:
Some observers of Ball’s workout last Wednesday thought he came in out of shape. Ball acknowledged that the “drills get you tired, so you got to stay focused.”
For better and for worse, the Lakers are mindful of not overreacting to individual workouts considering the various restrictions. Instead of playing against any prospects, Ball played two-on-two against some of the Lakers’ assistant coaches. Though his workout entailed various shooting drills, Ball did not have the chance to show other things, including how he operates out of the pick-and-roll.
In other words, it doesn’t sound like there were any deal-breakers during the workouts. If Ball is the Lakers’ top choice at No. 2 overall, they aren’t going to pass on him simply because he looked tired after running through drills. That type of issue can be remedied easily, especially if they believe Ball is willing to work and shows leadership qualities.
Ball is still the favorite to be selected by the Lakers, even if they were impressed with at least one other top prospect they hosted.
