Why is Lonzo Ball so highly regarded?

[godkiller]

So I'm not a basketball buff but hear me out. I understand Lonzo Ball has excellent vision and passes the ball well. He throws his teammates open. But so did D'Angelo Russell coming out, and Lonzo is about the same size as Russell. Great passing itself and size at the PG position doesn't a game changer make then.

I also read that Lonzo makes 3 pointers at an absurdly high rate. Oppositely he struggles to create and make mid range shots. So teams will adjust and game plan around this weakness and switch defenders on and off when Lonzo is on or off the 3 point line. Lonzo barely made any midrange shots in the NCAA which implies he can't make them. There is no game changing player in the NBA that can't make midrange shots except Curry.

Finally Lonzo isn't physical. He doesn't like contact and passes rather than finishes at the rim when under pressure. There's no star player that doesn't seek contact at the rim and passes it off to teammates, which is exactly what Lonzo seems to do.

I assume then he'll either be making 2s regularly, jacking up ridiculous 3s like Curry, or else he's a better Ricky Ribuio.

 

[High quality poster]

That shot ugly as fukk

 

[CantStop]

Here comes the post lottery Laker hate. Y'all Did the same thing with okafor when everyone thought we were gonna get him and then did it to DLO, did it to Ingram last year and now Lonzo. Like clockwork

 

[Benjamin Sisko]

Man fukk Magic for sucking offf the league like he did his boyfriend Jermaine. The Suns should've been number 2. The lakers are just a prima Donna team.

Ball has an ugly shot that won't get off in the NBA. He's Penny Hardaway without Penny's scoring ability. Fox destroyed Ball. Ball has no defense. fukk Magic

 

[SAINT]

There is no game changing player in the NBA that can't make midrange shots except Curry.

 

[SpacelySprockets]

Man fukk Magic for sucking offf the league like he did his boyfriend Jermaine. The Suns should've been number 2. The lakers are just a prima Donna team.

Ball has an ugly shot that won't get off in the NBA. He's Penny Hardaway without Penny's scoring ability. Fox destroyed Ball. Ball has no defense. fukk Magic

this "fox dropped 39 on ball" rhetoric is lazy and for the people who only looked at the boxscore.. ball wasnt even guarding him for the vast majority of those points

 

[godkiller]

this "fox dropped 39 on ball" rhetoric is lazy and for the people who only looked at the boxscore.. ball wasnt even guarding him for the vast majority of those points

I saw Ball get eaten alive by Fox on multiple possessions. Ball can't guard Fox or NBA guards like him.

 

[SpacelySprockets]

I saw Ball get eaten alive by Fox on multiple possessions. Ball can't guard Fox or NBA guards like him.

u saw fox score a few baskets on lonzo.. u didnt see him drop 39 on lonzo

and even if he wasnt a good defender.. when did that stop anyone before? james harden is a mvp candidate and he plays the worst defense ive ever seen in my life

steph curry doesnt even guard the other PG and hes the 2 time and only unanimous MVP in nba history

u nikkas only apply certain criterias and rules when its someone u dislike

 

[Kal El]

u saw fox score a few baskets on lonzo.. u didnt see him drop 39 on lonzo

and even if he wasnt a good defender.. when did that stop anyone before? james harden is a mvp candidate and he plays the worst defense ive ever seen in my life

steph curry doesnt even guard the other PG and hes the 2 time and only unanimous MVP in nba history

u nikkas only apply certain criterias and rules when its someone u dislike

If Ball's offensive game was THAT elite I don't think people would care about his D.

Fox made him look silly in the regular season match-up too. Wouldn't be too concerned though. He has the skillset/length to be a good defender.

 

[LurkMoar]

Lonzo is a far better passer than russel and an elite catch and spot up shooter.

Hes not overhyped hes exactly where hes supposed to be, number 2 behind fultz.
He fits the lakers perfectly and will help russel tremendously.

 

[godkiller]

u saw fox score a few baskets on lonzo.. u didnt see him drop 39 on lonzo

and even if he wasnt a good defender.. when did that stop anyone before? james harden is a mvp candidate and he plays the worst defense ive ever seen in my life

steph curry doesnt even guard the other PG and hes the 2 time and only unanimous MVP in nba history

u nikkas only apply certain criterias and rules when its someone u dislike

Well I saw Fox eat Lonzo alive enough times to know Lonzo can't guard him throughout a game. He will need help. Moreover, the Harden comparison is a stretch because James finishes at the basket and seeks contact. Lonzo meanwhile eschews contact and passes the ball at the basket. Go look at Lonzo's finishing at the basket; he doesn't go to the foul line like Harden. They're not the same guy under the basketball. Lonzo will definitely be a superstar if he can consistently hit 3s like Curry, but that's unlikely.

 

[Swagnificent]

I saw Ball get eaten alive by Fox on multiple possessions. Ball can't guard Fox or NBA guards like him.

Who cares? Steph Curry can't guard anyone in the NBA and that doesn't stop fakkits like you from slurping him.

Lonzo Ball will be the best PG in the NBA in 3 years. He's a bonafide superstar. Only a cac or a c00n would say otherwise.

 

[godkiller]

Who cares? Steph Curry can't guard anyone in the NBA and that doesn't stop fakkits like you from slurping him.

Lonzo Ball will be the best PG in the NBA in 3 years. He's a bonafide superstar. Only a cac or a c00n would say otherwise.

I'm going to ignore you calling anyone a c00n and thus the kettle black as it stands, but all many of the poster's assumptions about Lonzo's stardom rests on the notion Lonzo's shooting will be otherworldy from 3. If it isn't what is he?

 

[mbewane]

Personnaly I only saw that one game they got eliminated in the tournament, didn't see much worth the hype...obviously it was only one game, but was expecting a star to show out in that kind of game...

 

[Jparker]

Lonzo is a far better passer than russel and an elite catch and spot up shooter.

Hes not overhyped hes exactly where hes supposed to be, number 2 behind fultz.
He fits the lakers perfectly and will help russel tremendously.

I don't know about elite. I would say Russel shot is better but Ball has a better overall game.