Lonzo Ball made a loud debut in his rookie season, averaging 10.2 points, 7.2 assists, 6.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals. He ranked second among first-year players in both dimes and thefts.
Ball was also an excellent defender and largely responsible for the Lakers’ high-octane pace.
Below is a summary of his exit interview with the assembled media.
- In his exit interview with Magic Johnson, Rob Pelinka and Luke Walton, the Lakers’ brass did not mince words with Ball, telling the 20-year-old that this offseason will be “pretty much the biggest summer of my life.”
Ball is embracing this challenge, calling it “exciting” that they believe in him and his ability to “take care of what I need to take care of.”
- Lonzo shot just 30.5 percent on 3-pointers this season, falling into long streaks of both hot and cold shooting. The front office said that they don’t want him to change his unorthodox form, and instead “perfect” it: “They said they’re fine with it, just keep getting the reps up. … If you want to be a good shooter, you’ve got to shoot.”
- Ball has a lot of plans for his summer regiment, including adding more strength to his frame. In terms of specific basketball skills, he is looking to add to his individual offense, including floaters and pull-ups: “The main focus is scoring from all levels, especially from the pick-and-roll.”
- When he was first drafted, Lonzo said that he was most excited to play alongside Brandon Ingram. Now, B.I.’s jump from rookie to sophomore is a sort of blueprint for Ball: “He’s motivation for me to show how much a summer can help. Julius Randle, too.”