Now that the 2017 NBA Draft and 2017 Las Vegas Summer League are a thing of the past, the Los Angeles Lakers can solely prepare for the beginning of training camp, with a roster all fighting over positioning in the rotation. With second overall pick Lonzo Ball leading the way, the Lakers are optimistic heading into the 2017-18 campaign.
Ball’s play during Summer League is a big reason why as he won MVP and helped the Lakers to their first ever Summer League championship. Ball is expected to make an immediate impact, which is why he received plenty of votes from his fellow rookies to win Rookie of the Year this year. Of course his career will extend well beyond one season.
The Lakers hope Ball will lead them back to championship level and Magic Johnson believes his jersey will one day hang in the rafters. His draft class apparently agrees asNBA.com asked 39 rookies who they believe will have the best career, with Ball and Boston’s Jayson Tatum tying for first with 18.4 percent of the vote.
The tie just adds to the revival of the Celtics-Lakers rivalry, as both players seem ready to make an immediate impact on their respective teams. The Lakers and Celtics clashed during the Summer League, with Ball accumulating 11 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in 31 minutes played. On the other hand, Tatum dropped a team-high 27 points, along with 11 rebounds and a block.
Following Tatum and Ball was another tie for second place, as Josh Jackson and Dennis Smith Jr. each received 10.5 percent of the vote. Following them was Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, with 7.9 percent capturing the fifth place spot. Markelle Fultz, Harry Giles, and Ben Simmons rounded out the list, each getting 5.3 percent in a tie for the sixth spot.