welcome back Jeff

[aujeff11 6,243]

An excellent and neutral draft day link regarding Ball and what he brings to the team

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/lonzo-ball-nba-draft-scouting-report-and-video-analysis-5886/

[GwillMac6 20,671]

1 minute ago, cole256 said:

Actually I did miss the word floor in your original post. That's my bad

I actually have no problem with Lonzo the player. I think I am higher on him than most people. I just wish his personality was more like Lavar because he is so damn entertaining and I want to root for lonzo so bad.

[cole256 17,051]

Ball was the motor of his team and didn't really have a back up. It went through him. It won't be like that as much in the NBA. I'm assuming he'll even get in better conditioning as well. But I'm sure he was constantly tired by the end of games. Also as he get stronger the screens won't be as hard or at least take as much out of him as they did.

But if he does have to match up against a smaller guy his length works just like it does with corners in football. Length over a player erases being slightly slower and ball has a long wingspan. He averaged close to 2 steals a game. 

[aujeff11 6,243]

1 hour ago, cole256 said:

But if he does have to match up against a smaller guy his length works just like it does with corners in football.

He is a 6'6 PG. Every PG he guards will be smaller than him so what does that even prove? I don't know why you keep denying it; his feet are also slow. Look at the gif I posted. You cannot tell me that isn't slow. His opponent was damn near in another zip code before he turned the corner. It's your turn to show me where he can consistently blow past defenders. Defense isn't the only side of the ball where his foot speed isn't self-evident after all..

You cannot tell me that he can guard other postions as well. He plays weak on both sides of the ball. He never seeks contact and he will get straight up bullied in the paint every time down low. Thus, no matter position he guards, he will be a defensive liability. Any legit analysis would say the exact same thing too.  

You act like it would be acceptable to say that a lengthy defender that keeps getting burnt deep is still a great defender because the only reason why he gets burnt is because he's too tall. 

[cole256 17,051]

Why would I have to show you him blowing by guys have anything to do with defense? And this is freaking basketball what does showing a gif do? You haven't ever been crossed by a person you can defend before? 

Oh and just because he's a pg doesn't mean he has to guard a pg....this isn't video games. 

And all your future predictions about what he can't do because you hate his dad doesn't mean anything. Especially when you haven't even as you admitted you haven't followed. 

Magic Johnson drafted a super slow pg who somehow is always leading breaks in EVERY level he's played and he's been a winner on every level.....ok. 

As far as the lengthy defender...what? Are you talking about 3 pointers? No if he had a hand up I'd say he's guarding a good shooter

[aujeff11 6,243]

1 hour ago, cole256 said:

 Oh and just because he's a pg doesn't mean he has to guard a pg....this isn't video games

You're not reading anything I write. I literally addressed it in the this post:

 

3 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

You cannot tell me that he can guard other postions as well. He plays weak on both sides of the ball. He never seeks contact and he will get straight up bullied in the paint every time down low.

 

 

1 hour ago, cole256 said:

Why would I have to show you him blowing by guys have anything to do with defense?

It's your assertion that Ball's feet isn't slow. And one can easily see otherwise on both sides of the ball. The article I posted earlier did a job of pointing out his lack of penetration was due to his athletic ability and feet speed. 

 

1 hour ago, cole256 said:

You haven't ever been crossed by a person you can defend before? 

He wasn't even crossed. Lol. The guy merely  flew past him like Ball was stuck in mud or something. 

 

1 hour ago, cole256 said:

And all your future predictions about what he can't do because you hate his dad doesn't mean anything. Especially when you haven't even as you admitted you haven't followed. 

I don't hate his dad. I haven't even implied that. I've followed Lonzo enough to see that he is a horrible on ball defender. Maybe you should not follow him for a while and then follow him again. Because, as evidenced by your profile picture,  the bias is killing your argument and you're usually the realist guy here. 

1 hour ago, cole256 said:

As far as the lengthy defender...what?

Cornerback, dude. That's strangely been your go-to analogy all day long. I figured when I said "get burnt," that terminology would have zeroed you in. 

 

[DAG 33,980]

18 hours ago, GwillMac6 said:

I actually have no problem with Lonzo the player. I think I am higher on him than most people. I just wish his personality was more like Lavar because he is so damn entertaining and I want to root for lonzo so bad.

Lavar is an idiot . Lonzo personality is great and I think will take him a long way , on and off the court.  I don't think lonzo would last very long if he walked off the court every time he got a well deserved tech.

[GwillMac6 20,671]

3 hours ago, DAG said:

Lavar is an idiot . Lonzo personality is great and I think will take him a long way , on and off the court.  I don't think lonzo would last very long if he walked off the court every time he got a well deserved tech.

his personality is great?! what personality are we talking about here? He has NONE that I have seen! lol zzzzzzzzzzzzzz boring. Hey what Lavar has done is working! The brand keeps on getting bigger and in the news more and more! UNDEFEATED!!! NEVER LOST!!!  I dig it. All of the negativity and backlash is coming his way and not his son so I dig he is basically being a shield for him. 

[cole256 17,051]

15 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

You're not reading anything I write. I literally addressed it in the this post:

 

 

 

It's your assertion that Ball's feet isn't slow. And one can easily see otherwise on both sides of the ball. The article I posted earlier did a job of pointing out his lack of penetration was due to his athletic ability and feet speed. 

 

He wasn't even crossed. Lol. The guy merely  flew past him like Ball was stuck in mud or something. 

 

I don't hate his dad. I haven't even implied that. I've followed Lonzo enough to see that he is a horrible on ball defender. Maybe you should not follow him for a while and then follow him again. Because, as evidenced by your profile picture,  the bias is killing your argument and you're usually the realist guy here. 

Cornerback, dude. That's strangely been your go-to analogy all day long. I figured when I said "get burnt," that terminology would have zeroed you in. 

 

I think you're somewhat confused here. First if what you are saying was really true he wouldn't even be effective playing basketball. Things like, every gm would say this, and everybody analyst would say that...if was just a little bit true he wouldn't be drafted right now.

You say you played a little basketball right? So if he is so slow and athletic how is he getting these rebounds, leading breaks, dunking on people so on and so forth? What games in particular was his on ball defense so horrible? Who have you noticed as an opposite? What guy have you seen that has shown you to be a great defender? 

So you missed my point as far as the crossover goes....this is basketball, hundreds of possessions so what you can show one or even a few plays of a guy getting to the basket that doesn't prove anything. You need a body of work to say if a guy is a good defender or not. 

As far as your article.....the offense Alford runs or ran was mainly based off of the two big men (mainly leaf) to set a screen up high and immediately cause a mismatch. But zo didn't play in isolate and attack type of offense.

 

If you're killing my argument I can't see how or where....But don't see how my profile pic could cause that. But you are right as far as basketball goes on here I've had an extremely accurate record....I even named the guys that would be one and done and lottery picks while they were fresh out of high school before the college season started. So how all of a sudden I apparently can't see if a guy is slow and absolutely horrible on defense. I don't know. 

You exaggerate corner was being a go to...I was just trying to break it down to make it more simple for you to see but it's not like it's a foundation of my point or anything. But no using terminology where it's ambiguous to both sports wouldn't help anybody zero in on anything, it would make it more confusing. 

[aujeff11 6,243]

3 minutes ago, cole256 said:

So if he is so slow and athletic how is he getting these rebounds, leading breaks, dunking on people so on and so forth?

He has a high IQ,  and he makes a lot of backdoor cuts and about 48 percent of his succcessful shots were assisted. He also scores a lot via leading transition offenses.That's how he scores and he makes plays. 

 

10 minutes ago, cole256 said:

So how all of a sudden I apparently can't see if a guy is slow and absolutely horrible on defense. I don't know. 

I don't know either. I guess we will agree to disagree from here.

[DAG 33,980]

1 hour ago, GwillMac6 said:

his personality is great?! what personality are we talking about here? He has NONE that I have seen! lol zzzzzzzzzzzzzz boring. Hey what Lavar has done is working! The brand keeps on getting bigger and in the news more and more! UNDEFEATED!!! NEVER LOST!!!  I dig it. All of the negativity and backlash is coming his way and not his son so I dig he is basically being a shield for him. 

You know who else people say is boring?  Being a goofy doesn't make you cool. It might give you publicity if that is what you are looking for. I am not talking about him being a father. I am speaking of the outlandish things he does just to get camera time.
 

[GwillMac6 20,671]

1 hour ago, DAG said:

You know who else people say is boring?  Being a goofy doesn't make you cool. It might give you publicity if that is what you are looking for. I am not talking about him being a father. I am speaking of the outlandish things he does just to get camera time.
 

O GAH!!! NO NO!!! MAKE IT STOP!!!! Please do not post pics of spurs players!! MY EYES!!! MY EYES!!!!!!  lol .. There is not a franchise I despise more than the spurs besides the warriors because of this very reason! haha... POP on the other hand? My goodness the man is so dang funny. I could listen to interview clips of him for days. I do not mind the outlandish things he does to get camera time because he is self aware and was doing it to get the Big Baller Brand up and running. And hey it is def working! People are talking about it every day. Mission accomplished. Lavar is playing these media people like fools. Being boring has nothing to do with how good of a athlete you will be duh. It does have to do with how much I like or dislike you! That was the point I am trying to make. Come on it is such a reach trying to ensue I was saying boring makes you any less of a player lol. Those spurs players are proof of it unfortunately........ I like Lonzo right now because his GAME is exciting even if his personality is not.

[DAG 33,980]

3 hours ago, GwillMac6 said:

O GAH!!! NO NO!!! MAKE IT STOP!!!! Please do not post pics of spurs players!! MY EYES!!! MY EYES!!!!!!  lol .. There is not a franchise I despise more than the spurs besides the warriors because of this very reason! haha... POP on the other hand? My goodness the man is so dang funny. I could listen to interview clips of him for days. I do not mind the outlandish things he does to get camera time because he is self aware and was doing it to get the Big Baller Brand up and running. And hey it is def working! People are talking about it every day. Mission accomplished. Lavar is playing these media people like fools. Being boring has nothing to do with how good of a athlete you will be duh. It does have to do with how much I like or dislike you! That was the point I am trying to make. Come on it is such a reach trying to ensue I was saying boring makes you any less of a player lol. Those spurs players are proof of it unfortunately........ I like Lonzo right now because his GAME is exciting even if his personality is not.

9

LMAO, I would love for you to find anywhere in my previous post where there is an inkling of me even mentioning that? That is your own projection based on my previous post. Yeah, they are winners, but bigger than that, they are both respected on and off the court, which was my point, DUH. To a lot of people that is a very good trait.  Lonzo is very stoic and he should stay that way. Unlike his father, he is actually playing in the NBA and has the chance to be the face of a franchise.  His father has to be a clown on camera or else he wouldn't be getting any attention.  Basically, he is a Kardashian.

[GwillMac6 20,671]

1 minute ago, DAG said:

LMAO, I would love for you to find anywhere in my previous post where there is an inkling of me even mentioning that? That is your own projection based on my previous post. Yeah, they are winners, but bigger than that, they are both respected on and off the court. Reach was my point, DUH. Lonzo very stoic and he should stay that way. Unlike his father, he is actually playing in the NBA and has the chance to be the face of a franchise.  His father has to be a clown on camera or else he wouldn't be getting any attention.  Basically, he is a kardashian.

HEY! I put a lol AND a haha in my post letting you know my post was all in good fun! You like the Kawhi Leonard and Tim Duncans of the world I love the Lavar Balls of the world! It is what makes it so fun to discuss and banter with you because we are so different! haha. 

[DAG 33,980]

1 minute ago, GwillMac6 said:

HEY! I put a lol AND a haha in my post letting you know my post was all in good fun! You like the Kawhi Leonard and Tim Duncans of the world I love the Lavar Balls of the world! It is what makes it so fun to discuss and banter with you because we are so different! haha. 

It's all fun my dude. I like swagger. Shoot I was a big fan of the the bad boy Detroit Pistons. But they weren't just acting like camera whores to get attention lol. I love the Miami Hurricanes of the 1990s AND early 2000S.

[GwillMac6 20,671]

1 minute ago, DAG said:

It's all fun my dude.

It def is. So you going to make me beg or naaaah? lol You never told me who your favorite nba team/or player is.  Is it the spurs or is there some team or player you like more?

[DAG 33,980]

Just now, GwillMac6 said:

It def is. So you going to make me beg or naaaah? lol You never told me who your favorite nba team/or player is.  Is it the spurs or is there some team or player you like more?

David Robinson is my favorite player and the Spurs are my team.

[GwillMac6 20,671]

Just now, DAG said:

David Robinson is my favorite player and the Spurs are my team.

David Robinson is absolutely one of my favorite human beings ever. Love that choice!

[cole256 17,051]

7 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

He has a high IQ,  and he makes a lot of backdoor cuts and about 48 percent of his succcessful shots were assisted. He also scores a lot via leading transition offenses.That's how he scores and he makes plays. 

 

I don't know either. I guess we will agree to disagree from here.

If you notice I didn't ask how he scores. I asked about rebounds, dunking on people, and leading breaks.....this all has to do with athleticism....You just described every player at Vanderbilt....if this guy is as bad as you say what is making him special? How is he succeeding? Why is he part of all of these transitional plays? 

And yeah I would imagine many of his points were assisted.....I told you the offense ucla runs.

[aujeff11 6,243]

6 hours ago, cole256 said:

you notice I didn't ask how he scores. I asked about rebounds, dunking on people, and leading breaks

He plays college ball. Of course you could say that all college basketball players are "athletic" if you're going to go that route. Plenty of people that run like like they're stuck in mud can dunk as well though and others can rebound with the best of em even after eating Sunday dinner. Your point? Relative to NBA PGs, Lonzo's foot speed isnt all that great. I have plenty of film, and analysts that agree with my opinion. You have nothing but a man crush on him. 

https://mobile.twitter.com/OneLeggedFade1/status/886754506171711489

He certainly plays embarrassing defense quite a number of times to be such a great defender. 

Dick Vitale 

 

✔@DickieV

Replying to @Lavarbigballer

U better be working with ur guy on D / if he plays D like he did in @NCAA @Isaih_Thomas @JohnWall@StephenCurry30 will light him up for 50!

10:06 PM - May 4, 2017

 

Oh.....

[aujeff11 6,243]

23 minutes ago, aujeff11 said:

Vitale 

 

✔@DickieV

Replying to @Lavarbigballer

U better be working with ur guy on D / if he plays D like he did in @NCAA @Isaih_Thomas @JohnWall@StephenCurry30 will light him up for 50!

10:06 PM - May 4, 2017

 

Sports Illustrated Writer: 

https://www.google.com/amp/amp.timeinc.net/si/nba/2017/05/19/nba-draft-lakers-lonzo-ball-deaaron-fox-kentucky-ucla%3fsource=dam

His shooting numbers are good, but they begin to look a little more questionable upon closer investigation. His work in the pick-and-roll is underwhelming. Defensively he's long enough to potentially hold his own, but he doesn't have the athleticism to ever excel on that end. 

I won’t lean too heavily on the two UCLA-Kentucky games this year with respect to Ball, but if nothing else they said a lot about what Fox can do. He got the better of Lonzo in the first matchup, and he flat out roasted him in the second.  Fox also fits with the other pieces L.A. already has in place. He's not a pure scorer, but the plan is to get that scoring from D'Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram, and/or a max free agent that comes later. In the meantime, while Russell has shown real promise as an off-ball scorer, defense is still very much an issue—and Fox can help mitigate the damage.  Playing Lonzo and D'Angelo in the backcourt would do the opposite. They're both a step slow, and neither player seems particularly invested in locking anyone down. It'd be like a Hollywood answer to the most depressing Blazers games from this past season.

 

Zing!!

[cole256 17,051]

6 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

Sports Illustrated Writer: 

https://www.google.com/amp/amp.timeinc.net/si/nba/2017/05/19/nba-draft-lakers-lonzo-ball-deaaron-fox-kentucky-ucla%3fsource=dam

His shooting numbers are good, but they begin to look a little more questionable upon closer investigation. His work in the pick-and-roll is underwhelming. Defensively he's long enough to potentially hold his own, but he doesn't have the athleticism to ever excel on that end. 

I won’t lean too heavily on the two UCLA-Kentucky games this year with respect to Ball, but if nothing else they said a lot about what Fox can do. He got the better of Lonzo in the first matchup, and he flat out roasted him in the second.  Fox also fits with the other pieces L.A. already has in place. He's not a pure scorer, but the plan is to get that scoring from D'Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram, and/or a max free agent that comes later. In the meantime, while Russell has shown real promise as an off-ball scorer, defense is still very much an issue—and Fox can help mitigate the damage.  Playing Lonzo and D'Angelo in the backcourt would do the opposite. They're both a step slow, and neither player seems particularly invested in locking anyone down. It'd be like a Hollywood answer to the most depressing Blazers games from this past season.

 

Zing!!

I'm really trying to figure out what is funnier you really feeling like posting an article here and there is "plenty" or you using dick vitale as a reference....and saying zing on top of it lol. I really wish I could debate this at a barber shop or something face to face as I have to be super limited here. Every post you write something that makes me lol literally.

But no don't get ruffled because I made you think....we'll still keep it out there. Your own words he can't post, he's weak, he's not aggressive, etc so explain rebounding on a high level....that doesn't match up...there aren't any weak consistent rebounders....how is this ultra slow pg ALWAYS leading a break??? Seems like he would have a hard time keeping up.....so no that wasn't me saying everybody is athletic, that's me saying how is he proficient doing this athletic stuff and leading it and he's not athletic. 

Like we know some of the same people as far as basketball locally. How are you going to match up with Rudy in his prime and you're not athletic? How are you going to do some of the things he can do if he's slow?

Other things to think about. There isn't a scouting service that is going to analyze a player and say "there are no weakness"....yes if you have to critique something about his game it's DEFINITELY going to defense...I've never said he is an all world defender or even a good one but acting like he's losing games on defense? No, made up. Saying Steph will put 50 on him lol, ok so which guy came out that he wouldn't put 50 on?

Oh yeah while on Steph are your plenty of articles and analysis some of the same guys that said he wouldn't be effective in the NBA? You're going to hate me because even around 3 years from now, I'm not letting this go....I'm going to laugh and laugh

Oh and you shouldn't EVER take the fact that you post gifs mean you have bodied an argument. I'm just keeping this from being extra stupid as it would get if I started posting clips of him driving by people and good plays....and I have ALOT more ammo than you in that.

[aujeff11 6,243]

1 hour ago, cole256 said:

I've never said he is an all world defender or even a good one but acting like he's losing games on defense?

He won't lose games on defense because late in  the game there will be a defensive timeout to either take him out completelyor put him on a wing player so that he doesn't become a full fledged defensive liability.

 

1 hour ago, cole256 said:

I'm just keeping this from being extra stupid as it would get if I started posting clips of him driving by people and good plays....and I have ALOT more ammo than you in that.

 Show me where he can big boy up in the paint if you think he doesn't play weak. The Statistics show that he lived and died by transition offense and the 3 ball. No pull up jumpers, and not much of a presence down low. Pick and roll defenders will eat him up all day. 

 

1 hour ago, cole256 said:

Saying Steph will put 50 on him lol, ok so which guy came out that he wouldn't put 50 on?

Not just Steph,,,apparently he thinks 5'9 Isiah Thomas can do so as well. 

1 hour ago, cole256 said:

how is this ultra slow pg ALWAYS leading a break???

Don't see the correlation. I've seen several Auburn PGs push the pace despite not having a quick first step. And a lot of Lonzo's rebounds are defensive rebounds which allow him to start the break . Just crashing the boards and being 6'6 is going to help him. He doesn't have a banger mentality. and he seeks to avoid contact.....which explains his low number of trips to the FT line as a PG.

 

1 hour ago, cole256 said:

You're going to hate me because even around 3 years from now, I'm not letting this go....I'm going to laugh and laugh

I'm planning on doing the same thing. He can average 15-8-7 all game long and my Damon Lilliard will still own his ass every game they play. 

[aujeff11 6,243]

44 minutes ago, aujeff11 said:

He won't lose games on defense because late in  the game there will be a defensive timeout to either take him out completelyor put him on a wing player so that he doesn't become a full fledged defensive liability.

 

 Show me where he can big boy up in the paint if you think he doesn't play weak. The Statistics show that he lived and died by transition offense and the 3 ball. No pull up jumpers, and not much of a presence down low. Pick and roll defenders will eat him up all day. 

 

Not just Steph,,,apparently he thinks 5'9 Isiah Thomas can do so as well. 

Don't see the correlation. I've seen several Auburn PGs push the pace despite not having a quick first step. And a lot of Lonzo's rebounds are defensive rebounds which allow him to start the break . Just crashing the boards and being 6'6 is going to help him. He doesn't have a banger mentality. and he seeks to avoid contact.....which explains his low number of trips to the FT line as a PG.

 

I'm planning on doing the same thing. He can average 15-8-7 all game long and my Damon Lilliard will still own his ass every game they play. 

More GOAT analysis by a reporter from USA Today with informative videos to boot. 

 

For The Win:

 

 

Lonzo Ball will be playing in $500 shoes. Possibly for his hometown Los Angeles Lakers. With a fatherwho claims his oldest son is the best basketball player in the world. So yeah, the pressure is on.

In one year, though, Ball revolutionized UCLA basketball. He’s a different type of player, the product of his father’s training. His transition game is breathtaking, but his shot is weird and dribble is loose. He might be the most exciting prospect in the 2017 NBA Draft, but he’s also one of the riskiest. For every flashy move, another question mark pops up.

Here’s a quick scouting report, broken down by skills, that shows what makes Ball such a unique prospect.

 

Shooting

GOOD: He made 41.2% of his 3-pointers in college. His True Shooting Percentage of .673 would be elite in any context. He showed range well beyond the NBA 3-point line. He loves firing 3s in transition, and he shoots well on those pull-ups.

BAD: His form. He awkwardly is a right-hander who prefers to shoot off his left shoulder. This photo shows how strange it looks:

Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports

The results are multifaceted. It makes it difficult for Ball to shoot off the dribble or when guarded closely, because he risks being blocked or stripped. It also produces an inconsistent effect and helps explain why he made only 67.3% of his free throws. These types of kinks in a shot are sometimes fixed in the NBA, but more often, coaches simply want to make sure the player is repeating the same motion.

Playmaking

GOOD: He has almost every prerequisite to becoming a truly great passer. In transition, he can be outright breathtaking. His 6-6 frame comes in handy here, as well, because he has great court vision and keeps his eyes on his teammates. He seems to have every pass in his bag of tricks, but one of his specialities is turning an outlet pass to him into an assist to one of his teammates.

BAD: His ballhandling is a bit high and simple — a problem against elite NBA defenders. He is a nonfactor in isolation as a result of that and his awkward shot. He can also get a bit sloppy with his passes at times, particularly in the halfcourt, but the NBA’s biggest stars always lead the league in turnovers. The biggest worry is whether he’ll be able to get to the basket in halfcourt settings.

Defense

GOOD: He’s a defensive playmaker. He goes for steals and blocks that help set up his transition offense, and he shows really strong instincts in passing lanes. He’s definitely not the type of player who ignores defense, but he’ll be best if he’s not guarding opposing point guards. He has very lively feet, which show that he’s working even if they also expose him to getting burned by a strong crossover. He’s also a good rebounder, a trait that seemed to gain importance in point guards over this triple-double-dominated season.

BAD: Though his dunk reel would make you think otherwise, athleticism is a bit of a problem for Ball. He lacks a quick, reactive first step, and he’s weak against screens. This DraftExpress video shows some of his physicality problems:

 

Physical tools

GOOD: He’s 6-6 — huge for a point guard — and definitely has the ups. In transition, he can really build up a head of steam toward the basket. He clearly has the ability to add some muscle to his frame without bulking up beyond function.

Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports

BAD: Many 6-5-and-up point guards have struggled in the NBA in recent years (Dante Exum, Michael Carter-Williams, etc.), and Ball shows some of the same physical traits. He doesn’t have ideal first-step quickness, which could limit his driving even beyond any handling issues, and he lacks upper-body strength. He has what I call “volleyball verticality” — he’s an explosive leaper but not particularly fluid.

Overall

Ball is too talented not to be a top-five pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He and Kansas’ Josh Jackson seem like the favorites to be the second selection, behind Washington’s Markelle Fultz. He deserves that top-five billing. Ball has the upside to literally change how a team plays basketball, which is a rarity of the highest magnitude and something Jackson and probably even Fultz — both of whom are much more solid, safer prospects — lack.

But there are real question marks. For every flash of Stephen Curry or James Harden, Ball also can resemble Greivis Vasquez or Carter-Williams. The biggest gap between those types of players is the jump shot, the area where Ball has scouts most divided. If that funky release proves true even at the NBA level, it’s hard to imagine him not succeeding. 

The biggest concern is that Ball isn’t easy to imagine as an ancillary role player. It’s possible that he could thrive in an oversized, hyper-powered Jose Calderon role, where he guides an offense, hits open shots and makes the occasional flashy play but clearly isn’t the focal point. But he’s spent his life and his best moments on teams that play his specific (Big Baller) brand of basketball, one that does happen to fit NBA-wide trends — high pace, lots of 3-pointers, very few midrange jump shots — but may not work with every team. He’s the type of player you build a system around, whereas Fultz and Jackson seem easier to fit in any style.

Luckily, Ball thrives between the ears, as scouts say. He’s an incredibly smart basketball player who seems to keep calm despite his father’s edgy temperament. He’ll be playing with a lot of pressure on his back from Day 1, but he has the personality to deal with it.

Wait, that’s not really answering the question!

I’d take him third, behind Fultz and Jackson, unless I already had a playmaker of the future. Jayson Tatum and Lauri Markkanen are better scorers and more polished products, and Jonathan Isaac has the upside to do pretty much everything on a basketball court. But Ball is the most unique player in this draft.

[cole256 17,051]

2 hours ago, aujeff11 said:

He won't lose games on defense because late in  the game there will be a defensive timeout to either take him out completelyor put him on a wing player so that he doesn't become a full fledged defensive liability.

 

 Show me where he can big boy up in the paint if you think he doesn't play weak. The Statistics show that he lived and died by transition offense and the 3 ball. No pull up jumpers, and not much of a presence down low. Pick and roll defenders will eat him up all day. 

 

Not just Steph,,,apparently he thinks 5'9 Isiah Thomas can do so as well. 

Don't see the correlation. I've seen several Auburn PGs push the pace despite not having a quick first step. And a lot of Lonzo's rebounds are defensive rebounds which allow him to start the break . Just crashing the boards and being 6'6 is going to help him. He doesn't have a banger mentality. and he seeks to avoid contact.....which explains his low number of trips to the FT line as a PG.

 

I'm planning on doing the same thing. He can average 15-8-7 all game long and my Damon Lilliard will still own his ass every game they play. 

You haven't seen any auburn pg's that's not quick pushing any breaks Gtfoh. 

Isaiah Thomas is regarded as one of the best scorers in the league so you saying his name as a rebuttal is amusing....in a bad way.

Of course alot of his rebounds are defensive rebounds...that's every player in basketball....lol. 

You show me where lillard can do any of these things you're making up about ball. Why would he be a banger? To be stupid? 

I wish you'd try to think of something else besides repeating the free throw stuff. He doesn't shoot a bunch of free throws because he doesn't take a bunch of shots....that's not rocket science....did watch him take a guy off the dribble get fouled and hit the and one with 5 seconds left to win a game during the summer league though.....

Pick and roll defenders will eat him up huh...he just haven't played against any his career in basketball yet right? Lol. 

I'm still waiting for you to show me the other 6'7" pg's that guard smaller pg's.....

Yeah I'm sure your pg's that scores 30 off 22 shots owned a guy in your eyes....But in reality no the 15 8 7 guy was much better....And lilllard doesn't play great defense himself....he must have a slow step!