Lakers: Three reasons why Lonzo Ball is better than you think

The Los Angeles Lakers’ second overall pick Lonzo Ball has already been met with criticism in his young career. However, Ball is not receiving credit for how good he really is.

Lonzo Ball was the most talked about rookie heading into the 2017 NBA Draft. In fact, the argument can be made that Ball was the most talked about rookie since LeBron James back in 2003. Although Ball did not go first overall, the former UCLA point guard was a natural fit for the Los Angeles Lakers and a natural fit for stardom.

His father, LaVar, is a large part of this. Call him crazy, call him over the top, but LaVar Ball has done a great job of marketing his three boys. Twelve months ago Lonzo was nothing more than a UCLA standout. Now, his entire Ball family has turned into a social icon with their overpriced “Big Baller Brand”.

Lakers’ President Magic Johnson even bought into this hype, calling Lonzo Ball the new face of the Los Angeles Lakers. That led the Lakers to ship out D’Angelo Russell — as he was not a leader — and bring in the then 19-year-old Ball.

The start to Ball’s career has not been what his father has envisioned. Ball is falling behind other rookies such as Ben Simmons and teammate Kyle Kuzma. His shot is not falling — a concern many NBA analysts had back in his UCLA days.

For some Laker fans, Lonzo Ball has turned from this hyped up savior to a headache on and off the court. Although Ball himself is soft-spoken, controversy-free; his play and his family’s antics combine for a terrible storm. However, Ball is still being judged a bit too harsh; here are three reasons why Lonzo Ball is better than you think.