Lonzo Ball

Nba Scouts Split On No. 1 Pick Debate

... even if it's just from a fraction of the NBA. One executive pointed out that teams who are split on multiple prospects will typically use fit or need as a tiebreaker. For Ball, all it's going to take is one of those hesitant general managers to win the lottery. Scout No. 3 suggested a franchise already equipped with scorers would be the most likely to consider Ball at No. 1. That could mean the Phoenix Suns (projected to pick No. 2), who have two players averaging 20-plus points. Or even the Los Angeles Lakers, who don't have a single player on the roster dishing out five assists per game. (Especially since current Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell mostly played the 2 in college.). Ball's obvious appeal stems from his ability to run a set, move the rock and create high-percentage shots for teammates, whether it's by pushing the break or setting the table in the half court. A lineup in need of leadership could value his knack for taking control and guiding his crew like a pilot flying through turbulence. We saw it Thursday night when he carried UCLA back from a double-digit deficit against Oregon. But the concerns over Ball's potential ...

Lavar Ball’s Boasts About Sons, Including Ucla Star Lonzo, Draw Strong Reactions

... calling them “outrageous” during postgame coverage. But they’re completely in character for La Var, who told The Times in November, before Lonzo had played his first game at UCLA, that he would win a national championship, and that all three Ball brothers would be No. 1 overall NBA draft picks. Li Angelo is a senior and La Melo a sophomore at Chino Hills High. “I look at it like this: The guys at UCLA, they’re there for a reason,” La Var said at the time. “They can play a little bit. So now that’s why I tell people and I feel strong about it: UCLA’s going to win the NCAA championship.”. This year. “This year. This team. People don’t break it down like my son. You don’t have to go undefeated to get to the tournament. They’re going to get to the tournament. Now all you’ve got to do is win [six] games. And the bigger the game, the better ’Zo plays. And that’s what people don’t understand. He loves the championship feel. He gets to ...

No. 1 Lonzo Ball Pulls Further Away From Markelle Fultz

... a habit of playing better in the second half, something Duke will need if it’s to get to the Final Four. 9. Miles Bridges, Michigan State. Last week: No. 9. 16.1 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.7 blocks, 55.2 2-pt%, 40.6 3-pt %, 101.1 ORtg. Bridges had 17 and 11 in Michigan State’s win over Ohio State, then had a solid game (14 points, nine rebounds and three assists) in MSU’s loss at Purdue. Bridges was seen overcome with emotion, crying on the floor as his senior teammate, Eron Harris, was carted off. Harris’ college career is over because of a knee injury. In his absence, Bridges will likely be asked to do even more. Michigan State (16-11) getting to the NCAA Tournament is far from a sure thing. Sparty has its next two games at home, vs. Nebraska and Wisconsin. Winning both of those would put MSU on the precipice of lock status. Bridges’ play could be the determining factor. Last week: No. 8. 15.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 53.2 2-pt%, 45.7 3-pt%, 83.9 FT%, 131.2 ORtg. I’ll have something deeper on ...

Markelle Fultz, Josh Jackson, Lonzo Ball Lead The Way

... : No one has figured out how to stop him or get around the 7-foot-6 sophomore yet. As his conditioning improves, he could become a defensive monster at the NBA level. 24. Thomas Bryant , Indiana Hoosiers : Already extremely efficient in both the halfcourt and transition games, he’s a strong finisher with long range. The 6-10 center hasn’t made a huge jump in his sophomore season, but you couldn’t ask for more consistency. 25. Tyler Lydon , Syracuse Orange : Easiest way to think of Lydon is that he’s what the Orlando Magic hoped Aaron Gordon would be for them. The 6-8 forward is shooting 42 percent on 3 s. 26. Ethan Happ , Wisconsin Badgers : Recent dip in scoring form likely to be temporary, and didn’t stop doing everything else when it happened. He hasn’t attempted a 3-pointer this season, so definitely not going to stretch the floor. 27. Zach Collins , Gonzaga: No way is Gonzaga undefeated without this automatic mismatch in every game. The 7-footer would be a worthwhile selection in the late first round. 28. Mikal Bridges , Villanova: Steady, efficient and deadly - a microcosm of his Wildcats. He has great size from the wing and is a 40 percent 3-point ...

Ucla Survives A Scare, Not A Potential Loss To Asu But A Possible Injury To Lonzo Ball

... alumnus feared the worst as Ball grabbed his right ankle before limping toward the locker room. “God help Lonzo Ball,” Bill Walton said in typically colorful fashion on the ESPN 2 broadcast, “and God help America.”. Someone appeared to be watching over Ball, who returned before halftime and was able to take a back seat to UCLA’s big men during the fifth-ranked Bruins’ 87-75 victory over Arizona State. Forward TJ Leaf overpowered every dinky defender the Sun Devils put in his way, scoring 25 points on 11-for-16 shooting to go with nine rebounds as part of a dominant frontcourt effort for the Bruins. UCLA center Ike Anigbogu added a career-high 12 points and six rebounds off the bench while carrying out Coach Steve Alford’s game plan of pounding it inside against a team that played no one taller than 6 feet 8. “We knew they were kind of weak in the interior,” Anigbogu said, “so Coach told us to go at them.”. That the Bruins did, scoring 50 points in the paint and ...

The Hitch In Lonzo Ball’s Shot May Affect His Nba Future

... of where I have my hangup with him, is I don’t think he can’t create his shot off the dribble with those weird mechanics. Look closely next time you watch him play. When he pulls up from midrange or 3, there’s this weird pause as he stops his dribble. Simmons: A hitch. O’Connor: Yeah, as he stops his dribble. O’Connor: As he stops his dribble he adjusts the ball in his hands and he doesn’t go straight up in his shot. And that’s what separates the Steve Nashes and the Stephen Currys of the world: They can create their dribble and create space, but they also just fire straight into their stop, and Ball isn’t at that level. La Var Ball and his three sons are trying to change basketball, one 30-foot shot at a __link__. But He Could Easily Figure It Out. Simmons: I just think when your IQ is that high on a basketball court, you’re going to be fine. He’ll figure it out. He might be, like, a genius. O’Connor: That’s what happened with Malcolm Brogdon. Simmons: I don’t know if Brogdon’s a genius. O’Connor: He’s pretty smart. They ...

After Lonzo Ball's Worst 20 Minutes Came A Player Of The Year Performance

... Pac-12 has three legit national title contenders. The turn came in the most unexpected fashion for UCLA. The Bruins have been rightly criticized throughout the season for their inability to pair a strong defensive effort with their wide-open offense, but two adjustments allowed them to crawl back into the game after trailing by as many as 19 points. The first was a zone defense, which worked adequately enough for a stretch to help slow Oregon's offensive flow. The second defensive adjustment came when Steve Alford put Ball on Oregon star Dillon Brooks. Ball got plenty of help from his Bruins teammates, but it was one of his best defensive efforts of the season. The energy generated by that effort seemed to spark things on the other end as well, with Ball, Bryce Alford and Aaron Holiday hitting clutch shots to climb back into the game and even take the lead. With the clock winding down, Ball rose to the occasion. Lonzo Ball from wayyyyyy downtown. #SCtop 10 __link__/fzvnb Jkd Ue. — Sports Center (@Sports Center) February 10, 2017. "That's just who Lonzo is. He figures out how to win games," Alford told reporters after the game. "That's what makes him ...

Not Even Lonzo Ball Or Markelle Fultz Would Solve Mavericks' Biggest Problem

... not going to solve that. What do the Mavericks do to solve that problem. Sefko: Well it's got to come through free agency, and I'm not sure it's going to take a "home run." They just need to hit a solid double with somebody. And that's what they've done the last couple years. Harrison Barnes turned out to be a nice get. So did Wes Matthews. Those are guys you can find. You can work with those guys, and win with those guys. Seth Curry too. But, it would help to have an anchor in there. Maybe Barnes will turn into that anchor. Maybe he'll be the 22-point scored and six-, seven-rebound guy and their rock that they can lean on. I'm not going to say like they had in Dirk Nowitzki. Nobody's ever going to be that way for this team ever again. That was something we should have all enjoyed for many many years. But, you've got to find somebody that can help. Perimeter defense and transition defense and rebounding and all that stuff is ...