Los Angeles Lakers rookie point guard Lonzo Ball has been under an intense microscope from the moment he was drafted. This has led to a ridiculous amount of scrutiny of every move that he makes, both on and off the court.
Even with that, Ball has managed a decent start to his NBA career. His struggles to hit shots have been well noted, but he is still averaging nine points, 7.1 assists, 7.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals while turning the ball over less than three times per game.
Ball’s passing and ability to handle the pressure he’s under has caught the eye of many players around the league, including Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant, who mentioned Ball as one of the rookies he’s been impressed by, via Durant’s official YouTube page:
“I like OG Anunoby from Toronto. He plays hard, he can shoot it, rebounds well. I like Lonzo Ball, I like how he’s playing the point guard position. Jayson Tatum is playing well in Boston. He’s playing like a seasoned vet. You’ve got De’Aaron Fox hitting game-winners. Ben Simmons, I don’t even know if you want to call him a rookie since he’s around the league for a year already, but this is his first NBA action and he’s playing phenomenal basketball. There’s so many good rookies out there.”
While Ball has been criticized a lot in his first 19 NBA games, many players have still spoken highly of him this season. Washington Wizards point guard John Wall and Memphis Grizzlies Mike Conley have complimented Ball for his game, and ability to deal with a level of pressure unseen by most other rookies in the league’s history.
Ball may have plenty of people expecting him to fail, but players like Durant clearly see something in him as his game continues to catch their eye. Soon Durant will see the young guard’s game firsthand as the Lakers host the Warriors this Wednesday.
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