From the moment Lonzo Ball was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the second overall pick, the media began following his every move. From Summer League, to preseason, to the first 17 regular season games of his career, fans and analysts alike have lived and died with Ball’s performance.
So far there have been some great moments such as Ball recording two triple-doubles in a week, becoming the youngest player to ever do so. Of course, much of the attention has been on his awful shooting as he is currently shooting just 31.3 percent from the field and 22.8 percent from three-point range.
Whether it is his shooting, his rapping, his on and off-court demeanor, his family, or even his hair, everyone is constantly analyzing Ball, and he admitted on Monday that the media attention is even more than he expected via Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
Lonzo Ball said he was ready for all the crazy media attention when the Lakers drafted him, but he admits now that it's even more than he expected. "It kinda ramped up, UCLA is a lot different than the NBA, it definitely amplified, but it’s cool talking to y’all."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) November 20, 2017
One great thing about Ball is that he has handled all of this attention excellently. He has remained true to himself, having no issues speaking with the media about anything and answering all questions asked of him.
Thanks to the boisterous words of his father, and the expectations placed on him by Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson, expectations for Lonzo became unrealistic. A rookie point guard averaging over seven rebounds and seven assists while taking care of the ball is truly an accomplishment, regardless of how bad he’s shooting.
Unfortunately for Ball this comes with the territory of having a father in the media consistently, and playing for one of the premier franchises in all of sports. If he continues to handle everything as he has, and his play develops, he will be able to overcome it all and possibly become the star he was talked up to be.
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