When the Los Angeles Lakers selected Lonzo Ball with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, he was touted as the franchise’s next transcendent point guard. His father, LaVar Ball, was often the loudest cheerleader, but Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson wasn’t far behind.
During Ball’s introductory press conference, Johnson lightheartedly ask that he not break all of the Hall-of-Famer’s records. While expectations were sky-high, Ball represented the Lakers’ first point guard who prioritized distributing in the same mold as Johnson.
Where they differ is that Ball has largely been a polarizing figure.