2018 NBA Draft Prospect Chimezie Metu Fully Aware Of Impact And Improvement Lakers Rookies Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma Made

Matthew Moreno
2 Min Read


For 2018 NBA Draft prospects, the pre-draft workout process, whether with individual teams or at the annual combine, is an exciting time. For USC Trojan Chimezie Metu, working out with the Los Angeles Lakers had special meaning.

Metu grew up a fan of the team and in particular their former point guard and current president of basketball operations Magic Johnson. The young forward relished going through his pre-draft workout in front of Johnson and being able to speak with the Hall-of-Famer afterward.

As for the Lakers current roster, the 21-year-old had prior experience playing against fellow Pac-12 products Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma, and he noticed both their impact and improvement since their collegiate days.

“Those are two really good players. Lonzo, he changes the game so much. My freshman year he wasn’t on [UCLA] and they were completely different,” Metu said.

“Second year, he was there and they were completely different. Last year he wasn’t there and they were completely different again. He changes the game in such a dynamic way, where he doesn’t have to score or have the ball in his hands to make a difference.”

As for Kuzma, Metu now sees him as a more complete player. “He’s gotten so much better since when I played him. He was more of a slasher, now he’s doing stuff off the dribble. He’s really improved on his game,” Metu said.

“I’m a Laker fan, so it’s really fun to watch both of those guys go to work.”

Where Metu will get selected in the 2018 NBA Draft won’t be decided until next month. If there’s a hope to join the Lakers, Metu will need to fall to at least the 25th overall pick. Los Angeles also has the 47th pick (second round).

Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Managing Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers games, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com