There may not be a Lakers player who has more on their shoulders heading into next season than Lonzo Ball. After an up-and-down rookie campaign in which he had to work through some injury woes, Ball is expected to be another playmaker in Los Angeles alongside LeBron James. Add in that Rajon Rondo is waiting in the wings as a far more experienced point guard and it’s not hard to see a scenario where Ball comes off the bench for the Lakers.
In the eyes of one of Ball’s new teammates, though, the scrutiny Ball receives is a bit off base. Michael Beasley sat down with Leo Sepkowitz of Bleacher Report to discuss a number of topics surrounding the Lakers, including the fact that the team’s second-year point guard gets some hate that the veteran forward doesn’t understand.
“I’m a big Lonzo fan,” Beasley said. “I don’t understand how Lonzo gets so much criticism, averaging almost 11 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a block per game. Granted, his percentages were low, but you all think Russell Westbrook can shoot, and he’s got the same three-point percentage.
“Two years ago, Malcolm Brogdon won Rookie of the Year with 10 points and three rebounds a game, but now Lonzo is 11-7-7 and he’s a bust?” Beasley continued. “I’m a Lonzo fan. I think if you just let him play and not worry about if he can shoot or not, I think you will see a player that knows how and wants to play a complete game of basketball.”
Of course, one of the major reasons Ball gets scrutinized so closely is because of his father and the hype train that surrounded here as he came into the league. Beasley is right in that Ball is a good basketball player — most rookies struggle to one extent or another, and he had the added burden of missing games due to injuries — but it’s easy to see where the criticism comes from.
The good news for Ball and the Lakers is he’s going to have a tremendous opportunity to change the narrative around his game. Between the fact that his veterans have his back, James is a well-documented fan, and Magic Johnson is in his corner, Ball has all the support he needs in Los Angeles. Whether he is able to ride that wave to a successful sophomore campaign, though, remains to be seen.
(Via Bleacher Report)
