Ball works out for Lakers, would love to be No. 2 pick
EL SEGUNDO » With the ball in his hands on the Los Angeles Lakers’ home court, Lonzo Ball was exactly where he always wanted to be.
Ball’s new Lakers workout gear was soaked with sweat after he went through his individual predraft workout Wednesday for Magic Johnson and coach Luke Walton at their training complex. The tantalizing UCLA product left no doubt he hopes his favorite team chooses him with the second overall pick.
“Of course,” Ball said. “I want to stay home.”
The Lakers have roughly two weeks to decide whether to hitch their franchise rebuilding effort to the 6-foot-6 point guard — and by extension his outspoken father, LaVar, who didn’t attend the workout.
After enduring the worst fouryear stretch in franchise history, the Lakers hope to rebound next fall with their new draft choice alongside fellow No. 2 picks D’Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram. Lonzo Ball is generally considered the front-runner to become the Lakers’ new catalyst, with some analysts even believing he surpasses Markelle Fultz and the rest of the draft pool as the prospect with the greatest potential for superstardom.
Ball doesn’t shy from the responsibility that would come with his selection, either: He plans to be a leader for his NBA team from his first day on the roster.
“They have a lot of good players,” Ball said. “Obviously they need a leader, a point guard, and I feel like I can bring that to the team.”
But every NBA team with a top draft pick is clearly weighing Ball’s talent against the potential perils of choosing a somewhat unorthodox 19-year-old with a heavily involved parent currently trying to sell $495 basketball shoes online. Lonzo didn’t wear Big Baller Brand’s ZO2: Prime shoes for his Lakers workout.
Any potential concerns felt by the Lakers haven’t filtered through to Ball, who was still excited about his getting-to-know-you dinner in Venice, Calif., on Tuesday with the Lakers’ top brass, including Magic and general manager Rob Pelinka.
“I got positive vibes,” Ball said. “I had a lot of fun. It was great meeting everybody here, and they were very welcoming.”
He was particularly thrilled to meet Johnson, the Hall of Famer now directing the Lakers’ rebuild as their president of basketball operations. The 6-foot-9 former point guard provided the template for Ball’s approach to hoops through LaVar, an ardent Magic fan.
“Magic Johnson is one of the greatest players ever to play,” Ball said. “And I love the way Coach (Walton) wants to coach us, and then Rob is a great dude, too. So just meeting all them, it was a great blessing.”
Ball didn’t say whether he will work out for other teams, claiming he’ll leave it up to his agent. But his visit with the Lakers was his first individual workout, and LaVar has openly voiced his desire for his son to end up with the hometown team for many months.
After growing up 50 miles away in Chino Hills, Calif., Ball spent the last year 20 minutes north of the Lakers’ El Segundo training complex in Westwood, where he led the Bruins’ transformation from a regular underachiever into a 31-win team.