The Los Angeles Lakers hope that rookie guard Lonzo Ball will develop into a star, but his father, LaVar, already sees him as one. LaVar hasn’t been subtle about expressing his confidence in his son and has claimed that he could even do well against two-time MVP Stephen Curry.
Of course, these claims could have a negative impact on Lonzo, as some of the best in the NBA will have a little extra motivation whenever they play against him.
With the Lakers scheduled to open their season against the Clippers, Lonzo will have an early test as he has to deal with the high-pressure defense of Patrick Beverley, who already took to Twitter to show that he has the matchup on his mind:
But imma guard him the first game and we will see about that!!! @Lavarbigballer https://t.co/FXSIXjHGHP
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) September 15, 2017
Beverley, a five-year veteran who is embarking on his first season with the Clippers after spending the previous four seasons of with the Houston Rockets, is one of the best defensive guards in the league.
He is a renowned pest who often agitates opponents and has, on occasion, been accused of being a dirty player. He was traded to the Clippers as part of the trade that sent Chris Paul to Houston and will be looking to prove himself in his season debut.
On the other hand, Lonzo has occasionally struggled under pressure from pesky guards, so he will have his hands full going against Beverley. The Lakers have to hope that Lonzo’s size and lightning-quick passing ability will keep Beverley from making too much of an impact.
In a rookie year that will include a lot of pressure, Lonzo will have to weather a storm on opening night, but so far he hasn’t shown any inclination to back down from a challenge.
