In what is widely expected to be an exceptional draft class, there are still an elite few guards who are considered to be the cream of the crop this year. The main candidates for the top pick in the 2017 NBA Draft are Markelle Fultz of Washington, Josh Jackson of Kansas and, of course, Lonzo Ball of UCLA.
Of the three, the one who has received the most media attention has been Lonzo Ball without a doubt. Not only has his father, LaVar Ball, grabbed headlines with some of the eyebrow-raising statements he’s made, but with Ball being a California product, there have also been rumblings about the potential of Ball in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform come next season.
When Ball recently appeared on ESPN’s SportsNation and was asked whether he would prefer being selected first overall or be taken by the Lakers, the 19-year old didn’t hesitate to give the edge to staying in California:
I’m going with the Lakers … All my family is from L.A. so to be able to play in front of them, I think that would mean more to me.
The stars would really have to align for Ball to end up in the City of Angels but there is still a chance. It’s not surprising that Ball would love to stay close to home for various reasons and don a Lakers uniform, but most young players love the bragging rights that are attached to being selected with that coveted top pick.
During his single collegiate season, Ball led the Bruins to a 31-5 record while averaging 14.6 points per game to go along with an NCAA-leading 7.6 assists and 6.0 rebounds. UCLA was expected to be a title threat in the NCAA tournament but ended up losing to Kentucky in the Sweet Sixteen round.
Ball will bring immediate star potential to any NBA backcourt, something the Lakers sorely need given the inconsistent year we’ve seen from D’Angelo Russell.
