The Los Angeles Lakers are now locked into the No. 2 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft on June 22. The team’s front office will have a little more than a month to evaluate players leading up to making their decision in June. Although the Lakers brass will do their due diligence, the consensus right now is the team will go with UCLA’s Lonzo Ball come draft day.
Lakers head coach Luke Walton made an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show on Friday and talked about what he thinks of Ball a month in advance of the draft:
“Well, obviously, he’s from L.A. He went to UCLA, and he’s an unbelievable player. I absolutely love his game. The way he passes. The way he makes everybody on his team better. It’s an unbelievable skill. It’s a joy watching him play.”
Although it seems to be a foregone conclusion that the Lakers will take Ball at No. 2, a lot can and will happen between now and draft day on June 22. The Lakers will bring in draft prospects for workouts and will evaluate the top players in this draft class to make their decision.
Fortunately, Lonzo is dead-set on becoming a Laker meaning the team will get a great look at him with his father LaVar recently saying his son will only be working out for Los Angeles. Despite the Ball family’s desire drafted by the Lakers at second overall, Walton and company will continue their evaluation process of all the players that they’re considering with the second pick in the upcoming draft.
Other notable names in contention at No. 2 include Markelle Fultz (Washington), Jayson Tatum (Duke), Josh Jackson (Kansas), and De’Aaron Fox (Kentucky).