The newest Los Angeles Lakers point guard, Lonzo Ball, has been making his rounds in the city this past week, throwing out the first pitch at Dodger Stadium, the same day as being introduced as a Laker at the team’s practice facility in El Segundo.
Ball was the second overall pick by the Lakers in last week’s NBA Draft, as he looks to turn around a Lakers franchise that is suffering through its worst period since coming to Los Angeles.
But after the selection of Ball, a hometown product who grew up in Chino Hills and went to UCLA, Laker fans are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
One Laker fan who was excited about the addition of Ball is artist Jonas Never. The Venice native has been painting murals in the city of Los Angeles for more than 10 years. As soon as the Lakers took Ball with the No. 2 pick, Never began painting a mural of him outside of the Spectrum SportsNet studio in El Segundo.
A few hours later, Never completed this mural:
Never received a surprise on Friday, when Ball stopped by the installation and gave him a formal seal of approval — his autograph.
Ball is now getting back to work on the court, as the Lakers are set to open up Summer League in Las Vegas on July 7 against the Los Angeles Clippers.