While the Los Angeles Lakers have had their fair share of successful draft picks (Magic Johnson, Jerry West, etc.), there have also been a few forgettable duds.
ClutchPoints’ Bailey Bassett recently named former Lakers guard Lonzo Ball as one of the worst NBA draft selections in franchise history (No. 10 to be exact).
“With such a long and extensive history, a lot of the players on this list will be names that most fans don’t recognize,” Bassett wrote Tuesday. “The Lakers haven’t had all that many massive draft busts, either.”
“Fans will remember Lonzo Ball, though. Ball isn’t a bad player, but he hasn’t lived up to the expectations of a No. 2 overall pick, which is what the Lakers made him in 2017.”
“Most of Ball’s problems since his days with the Lakers have been caused by injuries. His time on the hardwood was limited dating back to his Lakers days, too. Ball, who was a local kid, only played in 52 games during his rookie season and 47 games in year two.”
“He was a great playmaker and impressive defender, but he wasn’t good enough to avoid being traded. The Lakers moved Ball as a part of the package for Anthony Davis.”
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Following a stellar freshman campaign at UCLA and support from his father, Lavar, ahead of the 2017 draft, the Lakers selected Ball with the No. 2 overall pick.
Ball’s breathtaking full-court passing ability, underrated on-ball defense, and overall playmaking made Ball a home run draft choice at the time.
However, the injury-prone guard’s tenure with the Lakers was marked by frequent injuries and subpar perimeter shooting, which ultimately led the organization to trade the 27-year-old to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019.
Ball averaged 10 points, 6.3 assists, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game in two seasons with the Lakers, shooting 38.3% from the field and 31.% % from deep.
Luckily for Ball, he’s cashing NBA checks with the Chicago Bulls in his late 20s, but that doesn’t change the fact that he should be considered a failed Lakers draft pick.
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