The Los Angeles Lakers made Lonzo Ball the No. 2 overall in the 2017 NBA Drafton Thursday. Ball is set to take the reigns of the organization, as a leader and point guard that can guide this Lakers team in the right direction.
Entering his rookie season, Ball set the hefty goals of achieving the NBA Rookie of the Year and leading the Lakers to the playoffs. However, the front office duo of Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka have some bigger goals in mind, as the believe Ball can lead them back to championship glory.
The Lakers held Ball’s introductory press conference on Friday, giving a platform for both the front office and Ball himself. During this time, Johnson wasn’t shy in stating that he expects Ball’s jersey to one day hang in the rafters alongside Lakers legends. Ball wasn’t thrown off the demand, as he is eager to live up to the expectations, via Serena Winters of LakersNation.com:
Lonzo on Magic challenging him to have his jersey on the wall one day: "I think it’s a good goal to set so I’ll definitely be chasing that."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) June 23, 2017
Ball was the perfect fit for the Lakers, standing out amongst other prospects as the one true point guard that makes all his teammates better. Johnson and Pelinka believe they have invested in the right player, with all intentions heading towards making a positive leap going into the 2017-18 season.
Johnson referred to the Ball as the new face of the franchise, only adding to the expectations that Ball has been dealt his entire life. Along with the never-ending critiques from his father, Ball has remained humble and has let his game do the talking.
Time will tell if Ball is able to live up to these lofty expectations, but both he and Magic have the confidence that he ultimately will.