Rumors have been flying about just what the Los Angeles Lakers will do with the second overall pick in the NBA Draft. Shortly after the Draft Lottery, the vast majority thought that they would select UCLA guard Lonzo Ball, but in recent weeks that sentiment is changing. Now, it appears that there is a very real chance that they could go with Kansas forward Josh Jackson or Kentucky guard De’Aaron Fox.
The Lakers are going to do a full investigation into all candidates, including Washington guard Markelle Fultz, who most believe will be selected by the Boston Celtics with the first overall pick. They aren’t rumored to be locked in on any particular candidate, which opens up the possibility that they surprise everyone on draft day and select someone other than Ball.
That said, according to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com, the majority of league executives he spoke to at the Adidas Euro Camp believe that, at the end of the day, it’s Ball that will wind up playing for Los Angeles:
Majority of execs at #adidasEuroCamp still believe #Lakers take Ball at 2. Belief is L.A. likes Fox and Jackson, but continues to lean Ball.
— Scott Howard-Cooper (@SHowardCooper) June 10, 2017
The Lakers worked out Ball last week, and the media frenzy that was created was substantial. Los Angeles is begging for a star, and of the available candidates, Ball appears to have a leg up in that regard. That said, play on the court will ultimately determine who will rise to superstar status.
Ball possesses the ability to run and offense the correct way and get teammates involved. At both the high school and college levels, his passing was infectious, creating a free-flowing offense that can be a lot of fun to watch. On the surface, that type of play would appear to be a great fit for the Lakers, but we won’t know for sure until their selection is made on June 22nd.